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CARTOONING 

M ADE EASY 

A COURSE OF INSTRUCTION IN 
THIRTY UP-TO-THE-MINUTE LESSONS 
IN FOUR BOOKS 

BY CHARLES LEDERER 

For twenty years Chief Cartoonist New York World and 
other Metropolitan Dailies (1883- 1903). Founder of the 
Lederer School of Drawing (1904). Author of “The Junior 
Cartoonist,” “Drawing Made Easy,” “Lederer’s Progressive 
Drawing Lessons,” Lederer's Art Course,” etc., etc. 
(1907 -1923). 



Copyright, 1923, by 
CHARLES LEDERER 



THIS IS BOOK I. 
(Lessons 1 to 12) 


ALL ILLUSTRATIONS BY THE AUTHOR 


JUDY PUBLISHING COMPANY 

Business Managers of 
LEDERER SCHOOL OF ART 
1922 Lake Street 
CHICAGO 


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.14 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


3 


FOREWORD 


Every artist is not a cartoonist, nor is every cartoonist an artist, at least 
in anything like the strict sense of the word. Many of the most successful 
cartoonists have only the elementary knowledge of the simplest rules of 
correct drawing—yet their earnings exceed those of the most accomplished 
artists; the very crudeness of the work of the former seems to be an asset. 
There is no use in arguing the why and wherefore. 

The foregoing statements apply particularly and almost solely to the 
makers of the so • called “strips,” the comics that appear in panels or sec¬ 
tions in the newspapers throughout the country. The princely incomes de¬ 
rived by the originators of the strips are sometimes almost fabulous, be¬ 
cause they are reproduced by mechanical means in quantities and thus 
scattered far and wide by the various newspaper syndicates. 

Some of the syndicated cartoonsi are in single form at times—that is, por¬ 
traying only one scene—such as those frequently drawn by Clare Briggs. 
For the exclusive right to use these in Chicago, the Chicago Tribune pays 
the syndicate that handles Briggs, output something more than $5,000 a 
year. And Briggs is comparatively small fry as far as remuneration is con¬ 
cerned, one making somewhere around $30,000 a year, I understand. Quot¬ 
ing from a speech made by Richard Spillane, one of the editors of the 
Philadelphia Public Ledger, touching on the subject of compensations in 
the newspaper field, he said, he had learned that a certain artist had made 
a contract for his effusions that would net him) $450,000 in three years, 
and that another and still more popular comic artist received annually 
more than $200,000, (probably referring to Bud Fisher). Mr. Spillane didn’t 
seem pleased with the information he was imparting to his audience, for 
he continued, “why these sums are more than we are paying to the presi¬ 
dent of the United States! I wonder if it is a measure of the intellectual 
capacity of the American people that a rough - neck cartoonist should be 
able to command such a princely sum? If it is, it is all wrong and shows 
that we in the newspaper business don’t know our business.” 

It might be a matter of comfort to Mr. Spillane if he were informed of 
the fact that some struggling cartoonists earn even less than a journey¬ 
man plumber. 

The Chicago Tribune in 1922 made a full - page statement that it had 
made an Andy Gump contract with Sidney Smith, one of its numerous 
cartoonists, in which the sum involved (payment to Sid) was one million 
dollars,. Comment seems not alone unnecessary, but, to me, impossible. 

So much for the pecuniary side of the subject of the question. There is 
at least one other. And that is the recreative side. Some ancient crape - 
hanger has perhaps wisely said that, “a little knowledge of the law is a 
dangerous thing.” That is as may be. Certainly it is that a little knowl¬ 
edge of cartooning is a pleasant thing, and to convey that is my mission 
in producing this work, and I’ll let it go at that. 


C. L. 



4 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


READ THIS NOW 


Before beginning exercises on any lesson, I wish you would read the fol¬ 
lowing lines until you have memorized them: 

Try to draw as well as you can, not as fast as you can. 

Don’t draw too close to the margin of your drawing paper or cardboard. 
Leave at least half an inch of blank space on all sides. 

New pens should be moistened with the lips, thus removing the oil 
placed on the pens in packing, (to avoid rust), Otherwise, ink will not ad¬ 
here to the new pen. 

Keep your sketches in which any idea is represented. They may not be 
of present use, but by referring to them in the future they may at least 
suggest something that will be available. 

As a general, but not absolute rule, it is best to begin all drawings with 
light, weak lines. It is much easier to darken and strengthen a line than 
to do the opposite. 

If you are making a pencil sketch on cardboard with the intention of 
finishing it with pen and ink, make your pencil lines as inconspicuous as 
possible. For reproductive purposes the pencil marks must be erased. The 
more pale they are the less rubbing out, and the less rubbing the less 
danger of partially obliterating the inked lines. Besides, a heavily drawn 
pencil sketch makes it confusing when going over it with ink. 

A pencil line that indents the surface is the most difficult to erase. 

A soft pencil gives freedom to the stroke. The harder the pencil the 
more stilted the result, in most cases, and the more difficult to erase. 

Keep a bit of white paper under your hand when it rests on a part of a 
drawing in which the pencil lines appear—thus preventing a smudged 
drawing. 

Avoid using a stump of a pencil. It cramps the hand. Use some kind of 
holder for the sake of utility and economy. 

Make an erasure deliberately and gently—don’t give an imitation of 
little Billy’s mother scrubbing the back of his ears. 

Draw slowly, slowly, slowly. 

Until I give the word, please confine your drawing to pencil work. 




CARTOONING MADE EASY 


5 


LESSON ONE 

If the same amount of system were applied to teaching 
drawing that is devoted to writing one would not so often 
hear people say, “Oh, no! I never could learn to draw! 
They tried to teach me in school, but I had to give it up 
as a bad job.” 

Suppose a person said this about learning to write, what 
a dumb - bell you’d think that person was. 

The number of failures in drawing classes is, in my not so humble opin¬ 
ion, entirely due to an almost lack of system in teaching the fundamentals 
and the elementals, and the denial to pupils of the use of expedients such 
as are shown in these lessons. So called “free - hand" drawing is at the 
bottom of most failures to grasp the necessary groundwork knowledge to 
enable anyone to make simple, but fairly accurate drawings from copies 
or other models. 

As a usual thing, “freehand" drawing should be called “hap-hazard” 
drawing. 

An instructor of handwriting teaches according to some recognized 
system. He requires the use of “guide lines" for the formation of the writ¬ 
ten characters—such as the faint blue lines on writing pads, etc. 

The average drawing teacher on the other hand, encourages the tyro to 
go ahead blindly and do the best he can, avoiding every extraneous aid- 
depending only on the untrained eye and hand. One might as well teach 
carpentry without the use of the square or inch measure. 

I have taught drawing for a great many years with considerable success, 
and nothing will change my belief that the EASIER one makes the study 
the greater and the quicker the progress of the student. If it seems ex¬ 
pedient to use a straight-edge (ruler), a pencil, a pencil compass, measure, 
or tracing paper, I don’t object. I believe in making this study a pleasure, a 
recreation, not a hardship and a distasteful task. 

For many years my slogan has been, “If you can learn to write you can 
learn to draw," and I stick to that. 

This may seem a wordy prolog to this lesson, but it will save time to 
pardon me rather than row about it. 

Book one is for exercise in pencil! 

Please don’t use pen or brush with these lessons until I say start. 

The greater your proficiency with the pencil the better your pen and 
brush work will be. 

The pencil practice develops facility of the figures. 

Don’t grab your pencil near the point. Keep the latter about an inch and 
a half ahead of the fingers. 

Don’t exceed the speed limit in your early production. Keep in “low." 

I recomimend that you put books two, three and four away, so as not to 
distract your attention from these 12 earlier lessons. If you were reading 
a story you wouldn’t spoil it by reading the last chapter, would you? 








6 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


Devote the time you can give to this lesson to drawing the rectangle A in 
Figure 1 until you have learned to make it with a fair amount of accuracy. 
Then proceed, in turn, to make the additions as in B, C and D. For practice 
I wish you would draw the same faces at least a half dozen times,. Make all 
drawings the same size and at least double as big as the copy which I set 
before you. 

Freehand drawing after the student has had more or less training is 
right enough. The experienced artist intending to limn the face apparently 
behind the bars in D (figure 1) would not need “guide lines.” The beginner 
does. So for exercise draw a rectangle as at A. Add the lines in B and C. 
Then draw the face as in D. The reason for making the seemingly super¬ 
fluous lines is to make the features balanced, symmetrical. The stippled 
lines are to convey the impression of lightly penciled lines. A, B, C and D 
are not separate drawings, but indicate the progress in a single sketch. 

The use of the term “guide line” is 
made advisedly. It is practically similar 
to the ruled blue lines by which pupils 
are taught to write. Years ago I adopted 
the course in teaching, of oblique lines 
in addition to horizontal and vertical 
lines and I recommended them in pref¬ 
erence to the usual - up - and - down and 
straight across lines by which the begin¬ 
ner is mostly taught by old fashioned 
straight - line teachers. 

Tracing is not permissible in any of 
the examples in this course, or any other 
copy you may use. Unnecessary tracing 
teaches you nothing. You should sketch 
everything freehand, except occasionally, when you may use the methods 
shown in certain lessons in book three. 

The tracing paper included in the LEDERER SCHOOL OF ART drawing 
outfit is for use in tracing from your sketches, in order to transfer your de¬ 
signs fom one suface to another. As fo instance, from a pencil drawing on 
sketch paper to pen paper or bristol board, or any other reasons for wish - 
ing to reproduce any part or all of an entire drawing. Tracing is also per¬ 
missible for use in lesson 29. 


Leave at least one - half inch margin around drawings. 

Do not destroy early exercises because they are “no good.” They are 
good to preserve in order to prove the extent of your progress. 

Submit for criticism only one sheet of examples of your work on this 
lesson. 

Don’t grow impatient to use pen and brush. The more you exercise the 
use of a pencil the greater facility you will have when you begin to use pen 
and brush. 












CARTOONING MADE EASY 


7 


Figure 1 



Figure 2 represents four simply drawn faces. 

Figure 3 represents copies made by the beginner, drawing them by the 


freehand or haphazard method. 

Figure 4 despicts various stages of progress while drawing them by the 
“guide line” system, while Figure 5 shows the completions. 


Figure 4 













































8 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


LESSON TWO 

The opposite page shows 12 simple suggestions in the study of expres¬ 
sion. A and C illustrate the point that descending lines are used to convey 
expressions of grief, while (in B and D), the ascending lines portray 
pleasant emotions. The arrow used to indicate the direction does not add 
to the lifelike cast of the countenance, but is intended merely to be de¬ 
scriptive. 

Horizontal lines are used to indicate sternness and obstinancy as 
shown in E and F. 

The ponderous faced individual sketched in G may mean that he is con¬ 
ceited, benevolent, thick witted—almost anything you please—his type is 
indefinite. On the other hand the face with the closely drawn features in 
H shows that he is close in more senses than one. His face is typical of 
several kinds of undesirable character. 


Cartoons and Caricature 

Caricature has the accent on the first syllable. By error many place the 
accent on the last syllable. Pictorially speaking, it means a drawing in 
which the beauties are omitted and the defects exaggerated, yet bearing 
a resemblance to the original. 

The word “cartoons” as applied to comic drawings is of modern origin. 
The word was, until about the middle of the last century, used only in 
connection with the famous wall (or fresco) paintings, mosaics, and tapes¬ 
tries of the great masters of the middle ages. Its present meaning during 
the past fifty years has changed constantly until today, when almost any 
comic drawing is called cartoon and its maker a cartoonist. 

Sharpening The Pencil 

Avoid short, stubby points on your lead pencils. Do not cut too fine 
points. Leave them blunt, but rather long. Then, as they are worn at the 
angles at which the pencils are held, into chisel - like edges, a slight twist 
will bring into play the sharp edges and fine lines may be made These 
sharp edges last longer than points. This seems a simple matter, but ex¬ 
perience has taught that it is, indeed, rather important. A little piece of 
fine sand paper is excellent for sharpening the pencil points. 

Old time teachers of drawing kept their pupils at pencil practice for at 
least six months (hard labor, eh,?). I am more modern and less harsh, you 
see. 

Rome wasn’t made in a day and it took at least a month to make a Bud 
Fisher. 

Guide lines should be drawn as faintly as possible—barely visible to the 
eye. 

Keep your practice drawings if you can afford the storage. They may 
prove interesting to hark back to, some day. 

Don’t be afraid to ask me questions. I won’t guarantee to answer them 
correctly, but I’ll try to. Why ask more? 








CARTOONING MADE EASY 


9 


I and K by their projecting foreheads and slight lower jaws are pro¬ 
claimed to be wise, while J and L, with their low craniums and big jowls 
are plainly marked lowbrows. This type is admirably adapted for por¬ 
trayal of the exponents of the “manly art,” in which blood instead of pencil¬ 
lines are drawn. 

In this lesson I am giving you an interesting lesson. I wish you would 
draw these examples very carefully. 

You miay omit the descriptive arrows and letters. 

You will notice, particularly at E, F and I that the lines are separat¬ 
ed, disconnected. I have drawn them thus, purposely, for I would rather 
have you make short, true lines, rather than prolonged, unsteady ones. 




In making the drawings from the copies before mentioned; enlarge draw¬ 
ings about three times, that is, each face, for instance, should be about two 
inches wide. 





10 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


LESSON THREE 


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Right Lines and Wrong Lines 

There is a tendency on the part of amateurs, and many professionals 
as well, at times, to make too many scratchy lines when indicating shades 
and shadows when using pencil or pen. It is all right when making prelimi¬ 
nary sketches to make featherly lines), as in a, for instance, but it is bet - 
ter, as a general rule to draw “brick - ended” lines as in b. The latter are 
formed by bringing the pencil point to the surface with deliberation and re¬ 
moving the point with equal care. Either style becomes a matter of ac¬ 
quired habit—technic in fact. 

It is the same with crosshatching. In the lines c and e the lines are hap¬ 
hazard and lack the even firmness of the lines d and f. Below these speci¬ 
mens of pencil handlings are shown examples of similar lines made with 
ink—to which the same criticism holds true. 

In simple words, a, c and e, are not as good strokes as b, d and f, in up - 
per and lower examples. 


We now proceed to show, by means of simple lines, the emotions as ex¬ 
pressed by the various features of the human countenance. In other words, 
we will try to show expression. This we will attempt by taking single 
features, and then by combinations. A few examples will explain more 
fully than yards of text. Pictures almost always speak more plainly than 
words. 

Having made a number of oval outlines we will start with the eyes. 

The eyes having had it, now for the nose—a few figures will suffice for 
the range is narrow. 

The mouth offers a wide field for variety of expression, from grave to 
gay, from joy to sorrow, from grin to snarl. 





CARTOONING MADE EASY 


11 



Begin with top row in Figure 6 

In Figure 7 the eyes, nose and mouth are shown with varying expressions. 
Send ihe a sheet or twP of each of the exercises shown in Figure 6 and 
7. Don’t throw them, haphazard, all over the paper, but evenly divided and 
each covering about the same space. 


Figure 7 

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A. 






Every illustrator should be somewhat familiar with the fundamentals of 
printing. Your attention is invited to Mr. Judy’s illuminating article on the 
last pages of book three, setting forth knowledge of printing which every 
practical artist should possess. 





12 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


LESSON FOUR 

Draw the profile face A. Now exercise your ingenuity in three sketches, 
reproducing the same features by means of transfers, but changing the 
shape of the noses. Preserve all lines as in the first prpfile, with the ex¬ 
ception of the nose. You need not copy my example precisely—exercise 
originality. 

Now take profile B and reproduce it as C and proceed to change the chin 
as the others in line with C. 

You need not make the dotted lines as shown in the examples. Such 
lines are merely shown here to enable you to note the changes more clearly. 

Next take C, reproduce it, as at E, (note chin change) and, instead of 
enlarging the chins, make them recede—each in succession growing 
weaker. Proceed with G, show each lower part of profile the same, but 
make the foreheads retreat—slope back—and reduce the backs of the heads 
until, finally, the bonehead as H is produced. 

Make similar experiments with front views of faces; but I offer no ex¬ 
amples of these, trusting to your ability to execute them. 

Be sure and send the latter to me for correction and criticism. 


How to Make “Transfers” 

When I speak of “transfers” I mean drawings by “off - set.” Draw some 
subject on a sheet of paper—the thinner the better; tracing paper, for in¬ 
stance. Then cover the back of the paper where the object is drawn with 
pencil marks making a solid black surface. Then take the hardest pencil 
you have, sharpen it to a fine point. Place the drawing over another piece 
of paper. Trace over the lines with the sharpened pencil point, pressing 
rather hard, and the design will be “offset” to the surface underneath—thus 
making a “transfer.” 

Or, if you don’t mind having the drawing in reverse of the original de¬ 
sign, lay it face down and rub the back of the drawing with any hard sub¬ 
stance—the handle of an old tooth brush will do—and you have a “trans¬ 
fer,” but it will be backward. 

A good plan is to cover the entire surface of a small piece of the tracing 
paper, with closely drawn soft pencil marks, and use this instead of cover¬ 
ing the back of the drawing. 

It is the same principle as the carbon paper used on a typewriter. Such 
carbon peper makes too strong impressions and should not be used; for 
the reason that the offsets are only to be used as guides, to be gone over 
again with pencil. 

The transfers should be just strong enough to be clearly visible and no 

more. 




CARTOONING MADE EASY 


13 








CARTOONING MADE EASY 


X4 


LESSON FIVE 

How far the student should depart from the resemblance to the normal 
likeness is largely a matter of individual taste. As far as the public is con¬ 
cerned there seems to be no limlit—absolutely none. Many of the big 
fellows in the strip “biz” make their characters with lines that bear, 
in face and figure, scarcely any resemblance to human beings. But it takes 
with the dear public, apparently. 

The opposite page shows four groups of heads in which the progres¬ 
siveness of grotesqueness in drawing the human face is illustrated. In the 
third exaggeration I have stopped within recognized limitations. If the 
student wishes to carry the distortions still further there is no ordinance 
or statute forbidding him to do so. 

There is a happy medium between the slightly caricatured human coun¬ 
tenance and the point where human resemblance is almost -lost in the in¬ 
tense desire to distort. In the group are shown examples of dis - 
tortion of the same faces, progVessing from what might be considered por¬ 
traiture to hideousness in distortion, and yet the latter certainly appears to 
receive popular approval. If one subscribes to the tenet, “give the public 
what It wants”—why, feed it a - plenty. 

It has become noticeable, since the almost total disappearance of hirsute 
appendages to the male assortment of features, including in the discard 
all manner of whiskers, moustache, sideburns and even galways, that big 
noses have come into particular favor with the cartoonist. Bristles by their 
absence have encouraged the proboscis crop. (For the benefit of the for¬ 
getful let it be noted that proboscis is regular dictionary meaning of the 
word nose when the word is applied in a humorous sense). 

For criticism, send one face in profile and one full - face, each, made 
more grotesque in five progressive exaggerations. Make them about double 
the size (width and height) of these examples. 




CARTOONING MADE EASY 


15 



the noses of the features entirely change the aspect of the faces you draw. 

For exercise in this lesson draw a few faces with changes in expression, 
as shown in upper part of page, and changes in the noses of the features as 
shown below. Try to be original, and don’t copy slavishly. 



















16 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


LESSON SIX 

In selecting your characters for a “two-piece” strip, that is, a series.in 
which two persons give most of the show, make them opposites in per¬ 
sonality and general build. There is no arbitrary rule in the game, but it 
is usually a good plan, if they are male characters, for one to be of a gay 
and jovial disposition and the other sour as a persimmon: one fat as 


















CARTOONING MADE EASY 


17 


Falstaff, his pal of the Cassius persuasion. The idea is conveyed to a de¬ 
gree on the opposite page where the egg-shape is used to build the faces. 
For the fat chap it is big end down, (A and C), for the lean guy the egg 
is reversed, (B and D), with the effect as shown in the diagrams. Note 
the good natural lines in A and C; and the grief stricken effect (by revers¬ 
ing the lines) in B and D. 

Of course where occasion demands, the fat fellow may be made chuck 
full of sorrow, while the lean - visaged individual may be made mirthful in 
aspect. It depends on the circumstances and the will of the artist - creator. 

A, B, C, and D represent a single drawing in four stages of progress. 

Cosiderable in the way of effect depends on the choice of headgear for 
your character. This may be noted by glancing at the various changes in 
general aspect miade by the placing more or less becoming styles of hats 
on the same physiognomy, as shown below. 




For practice in this lesson, draw faces based on instruction regarding the 
oval - formed faces, and then, erasing the foreheads, adorn them with hats 
or caps. See how ridiculous you can make the combinations. Draw the 
guide lines (indicated by dotted lines) very faintly—barely invisible. 




18 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


LESSON SEVEN 




viations by which the moods are formed. The expressions do not greatly 
change the individuality in the characters ABC and D, although the gen¬ 
eral contours of each have been violently altered. 






CARTOONING MADE EASY 


19 


LESSON EIGHT 

Here is shown the effect of added lines in a drawing composed of iden¬ 
tical profiles. All the profiles are alike, but the progressive appearance of 
advancing age is produced by certain lines that increase in number in each 
succeeding face. This should act as a warning not to put a single unnec¬ 
essary line in a face denoting youth. 

Below is shown a series of drawings of heads in which the advance of 
age is denoted by various noted means. In the first two rows the increase 
of years is shown by added lines and subtracted hair: increasing lines, 
receding lips an,d more projecting chin. Hollowed cheeks are also a symp¬ 
tom. The wrinkles around the eyes and neck are also Father Time’s trade 
marks. In the faces in the last row are sketch - studies from life of men 
of advanced age. 




20 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


LESSON NINE 



It is always advisable to make preliminary sketches for drawings by 
means of skeleton - like outlines in order to get action an,d composition. 
This makes correction easy. Then by degrees add clothing and other de¬ 
tail. Examples of this method are shown in the illustrations that accom¬ 
pany this lesson. 

It is a good plan never to put any great amount of detail into a drawing 
until you have fully determined that your general proportions and attitudes 
are fairly correct. It is a work - saving system. 












CARTOONING MADE EASY 


21 












22 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


ERHAPS you intend to have your character in the act of 
falling. If not, don’t make him look as if he were about to 
topple over—out of plumb as it were. It is not necessary to 
enter here into a dissertation on equilibrium, and the 
laws of gravitation. Ordinary powers of observation will 
tell you that A, B, C, D, E and F in the first row are In 
danger of going flat unless they change their attitudes 


In the second row the necessary changes are made to “throw them into 
plumb.” 



quickly. 


Draw this initial the size shown here. 
The same design shown above was re¬ 
duced from the larger drawing. All 
drawings should be made about twice 
the size they are intended to be when 
printed. 













CARTOONING MADE EASY 


23 
































24 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 












CARTOONING MADE EASY 


25 


LESSON TEN 


FTER finishing this lesson I wish, you would begin to re¬ 
view what instruction you have received in the early les¬ 
sons, including this one, and see what improvement you 
can note in your work. 

See if you have taken advantage of, and been guided 
by, the instruction and advice that I have so freely given 
you 

The upper lines of the ears and nose should be shown as nearly parallel, 
no matter what the angle of the head is. This is strikingly shown below. 
The ears and nose should always be drawn approximately the same 
lengths. 






This reproduction of the initial “A” 
shows the original size of drawing from 
which the cut at the beginning of this 
lesson was made. I might have drawn 
it as small as it appears above, but 
drawing with pen or pencil on a small 
scale cramps the style, and makes it 
difficult to draw broadly afterward. 

Therefore, don’t make your drawings 
too small at any time. 

If an artist acquires a breadth of 
movement, the result of drawing on a 
fairly big scale, it is always easy for him 
to draw on a smaller scale. But if his 
style becomes cramped, through draw¬ 
ings on a small scale, he finds great difficulty in making the long sweep¬ 
ing lines necessary in drawings of a larger kind. 


















26 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


LESSON ELEVEN 

Perhaps the most difficult things to draw well are hands. If they are not, 
then feet are. 

The best way to draw feet and hands is to go to nature for your models. 
And these are ever present. Draw your left hand as you see it, and in as 
many positions as you have patience, for this is an exceedingly valuable 








CARTOONING MADE EASY 


27 


kind of exercise. Also place a mirror, upright, before your hand and pro¬ 
ceed as before. Transfer the drawings in reverse and you have the other 
hand. Keep your sketches for future reference and introduce them into 
your finished drawings. Of course, if you can get someone to pose for you 
all the better. 

To draw feet, place the mirror on the floor and sketch as you did the 
reflection of your hand. Another good foot - practice is to place shoes on 
the floor and sketch these. At times these models may be elevated a few 
inches above the floor. Draw them in a great variety of positions. 

Hands help the cartoonists’ stories almost as much as the facial expres¬ 
sions and postures of the bodies, and, therefore much consideration should 
be given, to their disposal. For the beginner, perhaps a dozen different 
positions' will do, at. least for ordinary purposes. 





28 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


LESSON TWELVE 

The profeessional artist when painting figures frequently resorts to the 
use of “lay figures.” You can do the same on a smaller and simpler scale, 
and you can make them yourself. They consist of carefully cut out jointed, 
flat dolls. The material is cardboard and fine wire for the joints. 

Below is shown how it is done. Draw a figure like A. Make tracing 
transfers and cut out as in B, allowing extensions for overlaps at the 
joints (as shown at X in Figure C); before cutting outline in pen and ink. 
C shows the figure assembled, but does not show the wiring in each black 
dot, which means a pin hole. D shows the wiring on an enlarged scale. Cut 
the wire into 1 % inch lengths. In each tie a knot at one end. Pass through 
the pin holes and then make a double (pretzel - shaped) loop, as at E. 
Press this firmly to the cardboard for the joints should not be loose and 
wiggly. 










CARTOONING MADE EASY 


29 


The best wire I have found for the purpose are the strands of a quarter- 
inch electric light cord. Get a foot of discarded cord and you will have 
wiring for a hundred of these lay - dolls. 

They are very useful in aiding the imagination when they are made to 
assume various odd positions. 

The artist who draws animated cartoons could scarcely get along with¬ 
out them. They save fully half the work in the thousands of drawings re¬ 
quired for each reel. For animated cartoon purposes the little manikins 
are finished up carefully and photographed direct as they are slowly and 
carefully moved from, one attitude to another. 

The lay figure idea may be also adapted for use in drawing comic 
animals and birds as shown in F, G and H. 


PUBLISHER'S NOTICE 

Possession of this book does not imply a right to 
receive advice, further instruction or criticism of 
drawings. 

Enrollment in the cartoon class of the LEDERER 
SCHOOL OF ART, on payment of the fee of $15.00, 
however, entitles the reader of this book to the fore¬ 
going privileges, besides a complete drawing mate¬ 
rial outfit. 

JUDY PUBLISHING COMPANY 
1922 Lake Street CHICAGO 
















Don't Gallop 

Some expert artistsi mayhap draw hastily with success; 
But inapt students when they hasten make a mess. 


C. L. 








CARTOONING 

MADE easy 


A COURSE OF INSTRUCTION IN 
THIRTY UP-TO-THE-MINUTE LESSONS 
IN FOUR BOOKS 

BY CHARLES LEDERER 

9 • 

For twenty years Chief Cartoonist New York World and 
other Metropolitan Dailies (1883- 1903). Founder of the 
Lederer School of Drawing (1904). Author of “The Junior 
Cartoonist,” “Drawing Made Easy,” “Lederer's Progressive 
Drawing Lessons,” Lederer’s Art Course,” etc., etc. 
(1907 -1923). 


Copyright, 1923, by 
CHARLES LEDERER 



(Lessons 13 to 23) 
THIS IS BOOK II. 


ALL ILLUSTRATIONS BY THE AUTHOR 


JUDY PUBLISHING COMPANY 

Business Managers of 
LEDERER SCHOOL OF ART 
1922 Lake Street 
CHICAGO 











































HC mo 



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• C « 


DEC 24 ’23 



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CARTOONING MADE EASY 


35 


—Dl—VID—U—AL—I—TY is something worth striving for 
even by the youthful student. 

By watching the peculiarities of experienced artists—and 
even by copying their works, you will eventually evolve a 
personal style of your own—a style that will receive rec¬ 
ognition, presumably admiration. Strive for individuality 
of style. 

USING A BRUSH 

Never use a stirring movement. Make your strokes away from the paint. 
Never leave your brushes to dry with any pigment on them. Rinse them in 
clean water and point them before letting them dry. 

If a brush has become spread or bent, dip it in a little mucilage or some¬ 
thing similar. Then straighten out or point the brush and carefully lay it 
away to dry, after which dissolve the gum carefully, and the brush will, 
usually, resume its original form. 

Don’t dip your brush into the ink bottle. Pour a few drops on a saucer 
or any other receptacle and take up the ink from that. 

In using the ink for brush work, pour out only a few drops at a time. 
The ink sent with the LEDERER SCHOOL OF ART outfit is indelible and 
when dry on any surface cannot be rendered soluble for re - use. 

Don't make corrections with white until the black ink is quite dry, and 
until after you have erased all pencil marks. Otherwise you will “rub up” 
the whited places. 

Never leave a brush in the water—especially with the hairs spread or 

bent. 


Here is another of the original draw¬ 
ings of initials, shown on a reduced 
scale on this page. Note that none of the 
lines are very fine, and how much bet¬ 
ter the little curley - cue lines look when 
reduced. 


You may now begin the use of pen and ink. Make your pencil lines faint 
so that they may be erased easily. After the ink is quite dry, gently rub 

out the pencil lines. 














36 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


LESSON THIRTEEN 



HE FREQUENT practice of the oval - shaped guides, keep¬ 
ing the design within given bounds, isi advised. It is con¬ 
ducive to a habit of accuracy, and incites the imagina¬ 
tion. 

The examples on this page and the next afford examples 
of e gg. shaped and pecan - shaped ovals, drafted to en¬ 
close parts of comically drawn animals, mostly their heads. 
Try to see how many other animals you can fit in similar 


forms of ovals indicated in the dotted lines. Mice, deer, sheep and lots of 
other animals are adapted to this sort of exercise. Don’t depend on copying 
the examples shown in this book. Exert your initiative. 

Below is shown how the oval is adapted as a guide to drawing familiar 
national characters. 
















37 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 



Notice how easy it is to draw a fish—just two curved lines, reversed, and 
then add “features,” fins and finals (the tails). 





38 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


LESSON FOURTEEN 



Once upon a time I was honored at a social function at the Press Club 
of Chicago by a request made by the husband of a famous and triple- 
chinned prima donna that I make a caricature of his distinguished wife. 
I complied. Making a sketch of her which portrayed her as weighing less 
than a-tenth of a ton (an alarming reduction from the original) and en¬ 
tirely eliminating one of her chins, I felt I had almost criminally flattered 





CARTOONING MADE EASY 


39 


her. She saw it and then cried, “O horrors, I am not so grossly fat as all 
that!” and forever cut me dead. 

Therefore, if you value friendship, refrain audacious young cartoonist 
from caricaturing the fair and sensitive sex. 

Me for all the tall timber if the originals of the nine profiles of real 
women that I have drawn from memory ever see the caricatures on page 
39, drawn from the originals on page 38. 

Nothing but a stern sense of duty to my student impels me to give these 
outlined libels publicity. For I must set examples—even if they are 
horrible. 





40 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


Where women or girls, decked in modern attire, are to be introduced 
into the drawings, it is advisable to be guided by the designs in magazines 
or departments of newspapers devoted to woman’s fashions. Any stylishly 
dressed figure modeled after the latest fads in vogue at the moment these 
lines: are written m!ight look like last year’s bird’s nests by the time the ink 
on this page becomes dry. So keep up with the fashions by means of 
contemporaneous—that is, up - to - date fashions, as recently published 
when you make the drawings. 

Rules for Drawing Female Faces 

Don’t make them as homely as those of men. 

Use rounding lines—curves rather than angles. 

Don’t use members of your family for models—that is, not women 
members—if you’d keep your happy home. 

Keep up with the fashions in the matter of wearing apparel. 

Ditto in the manner that prevails in hair dressing. 

A very tall bony female with a fat little hubby always catches on. 
Reversing the order is just as popular. 

Fat women should have limbs like piano legs, the lean ones like 
drumsticks. 

A big broad hat, trimmed like an explosion in a feather factory is, 
cartoonly speaking, appropiate for a dumpy little woman while the 
elongated female is best depicted as wearing a lid about the size of a 
side - dish. Just to show that there are exceptions to all rules, it may 
be observed that the reverse of the rule above noted is sometimes 
quite as effective in mirth production. 




CARTOONING MADE EASY 


41 


LESSON FIFTEEN 

LMOST any kid is always willing to pose for a sketch. 
Therefore, I have purposely used very few examples of 
drawings of children. 

I much prefer that you draw them from life. So get your 
young friends to act as models for you. 

I will be greatly pleased to see your life-drawn sketches 
and criticize and make suggestions regarding them. 

A figure shaped like a top or a turnip is all that is required in most of 
nowadays drawings of childhood—that is, as a basis of design. This is 
shown in the drawing of the urchins on this page. Note the excrescences 
that form the cheeks. The size of heads are even more exaggerated than in 
those of adults—the proportions being one to three and even less of the 
entire height. 



Draw a few initials with kids faces 
and bodies, something after the fashion 
of this initial. The example at the right 
is about the right size. 

Instead of having the figure standing 
still, have him show some action, such 
as dancing, skating, etc. You might try 
one in which the boy is standing on his 
head or turning a hand spring. Instead 
of drawing him entirely in outline, add a 
few solid blacks, somewhat after the 
style in the figures above. Don’t how - 
ever, put any solid blacks in his face or 
hands. Make nice clean kids. 








42 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


LESSON SIXTEEN 



OST VIEWS of your characters very likely will be profiles. 
Therefore it is important that they should practically al¬ 
ways be the same—individually speaking. In order that 
this may be so, be sure that the angles of the features are 
always nearly alike. I can better explain this by referring 
to the next page, in which the same generally - alike phy¬ 
siognomies in respectively A and B are similar, but are 
generally changed by the angles of the features. 

This is one reason Why artists preserve tracings of their char¬ 
acters and transfer them to cardboard, so that day after day they will be 
identically the same. In fact some popular artists are said to resort to the 
device of having their funny characters’ faces printed on gummed paper 
and pasting them on the cardboard wherever required. Labor saving 
machinery with a vengeance, what? 

That this sort of drawing is not easy may be judged from the fact that 
nearly all strip artists confine their drawings of a pretty woman’s face 
strictly to sideviews. George McManus is one of the cleverest “strippists,” 
yet I fail to recollect seeing one of the female faces in his series in any¬ 
thing except profile. 


For practice make a somewhat larger 
drawing of Gloomy Gus in this initial. 
Then draw his face a little less sor¬ 
rowful in expression. Next draw him 
with the begnning of a smile on his 
face. Having done this, draw a fourth 
portrait of him in Which he looks still 
more cheerful and then a fifth drawing 
in which he looks positively hilarious— 
grinning to beat the band. 

Send them to me for criticism. 












CARTOONING MADE EASY 


43 








44 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


Nexe time you write a letter, draw an initial of the name of the recipient, 
after the style of those in this book. Sketch it on paper and transfer it to 
the envelope and redraw it in ink. The one receiving it will certainly be in¬ 
terested. 


Pen drawings for reproductions are photographed onto a specially pre - 
pared zinc surface. Then the zinc plate is immersed in acid, and all ex¬ 
cept the lines, as they appeared in the drawing, is etched away, leaving a 
raised surface, which takes printing ink just the same as if it were so much 
type. 


The engravings or cuts used in these books are called “line etchings,” 
because they are etched on zinc from pen drawings. If reproductions have 
been made from brush (or wash) drawings they would be called half-tones 
(usually etched on copper). 


With a little patience you may draw 
tints that will be somewhat like a me - 
chanically applied tint, such as “Ben 
Day,” although you will hardly get it as 
smooth as the machine - made tint. In 
the initial at the left you see a succes - 
sion of dots. If the dots had been drawn 
as small as those in the reduction of 
the drawing shown on the next page 
and then reduced one-half, they would 
appear more like “Ben Day” work. 

You will do well to practice in dot 
work. It gives a fine finish to many ob¬ 
jects in cartoons. 








CARTOONING MADE EASY 


45 


HE triangles accompanying the LEDERER SCHOOL OF 
ART outfit are called 45-degree and 30-60 degree triangles 
respectively. The right angle—90 degrees, is usually ignor¬ 
ed, or taken for granted when describing it. In car¬ 
tooning they are used principally to ensure “squareness” 
of a panel and to draw parallel lines when the T-square 
is not readily available for the purpose. The diagram will 
explain the manner in which the two triangles are used. 

Place triangle A in position to draw the parallel lines required,. Place 
triangle B against triangle A, holding the former in place with thumb and 
one or two fingers. Use other fingers to slide triangle A along to guide the 
pen or pencil in making the lines C. In making the lines shown in diagram, 
the lines were started by placing the triangle A at dotted lines. 



360 



/ 








46 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


LESSON SEVENTEEN 

Just as exaggeration and distortion is practiced in the rendering of the 
figures in comic drawings, so may it be practiced in showing the texture 
and pattern of clothing with which your characters are bedecked. The 
various patterns shown below are very free - hand in execution. 



For practice make several drawings of coats or of trousers and fill 
them up with patterns in stripes, checks and diamonds by means of parallel 
lines made with the triangles. Fill up spaces and elaborate as your im¬ 
agination dictates. 


Make a jointed and joined lay figure of the duck on the next page. S'pose 
you make two—a - coming and a - going. Make his hat with a slit in it so 
that you can push it forward or backward, or even over his ears. You don’t 
know how funny they’ll look until you make ’em. For directions go back to 
page 13, book 1. 






















CARTOONING MADE EASY 


47 



/ 












48 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


LESSON EIGHTEEN 

Don’t dip your pen too deeply into the ink in the bottle—not more than 
a half inch of ink should appear on the pen point. 

It is a good plan to have an extra bottle at hand, and keep that filled 
with ink to the height of about half an inch. Then you won’t have to worry 
about getting too much ink on your pen. If you get too much you are apt 
to make a blot. I have formed the habit, after dipping my pen in the ink 
bottle to give it a little shake—the pen and not the bottle. 


Turn back to book one, page 28 and make a “lay figure” of this imp. 
Make him all in black save grinning mouth and eyes. The eyes should be 
twice as big as they appear in the initial. 













CARTOONING MADE EASY 


49 



Semi - silhouette pictures are easily made and are very effective. Very 
often it is difficult to obtain sufficient definition in solid black silhouettes, 
the lack of detail sometimes obscuring the meaning of the drawings; 
therefore it will be found an advantage to make drawings in which the 
main parts are solid black, but relieved by occasional bits of detail in white. 


ILL YOU please send me three or four drawings made con¬ 
siderably larger than these below for criticism. Draw 
them partly or altogether in solid black. 

Properly speaking, the term “silhouette” is applied to 
drawings in solid black, but the word has lately become 
used in speaking of drawings in which some parts, in 
order to make them plainly seen, are drawn in outline. 
Bodies drawn almost altogether in silhouette-style and with only the faces 
and hands drawn in outline are also very effective. 

This method with slight modifications, is used extensively by many strip 
cartoonists and is growing in popularity. Anyway it is very good as an ex¬ 
ercise. 

To make these silhouettes properly, sketch them in pencil lightly, then 
outline them in ink before filling in spaces of solid blacks with brush,. E- 
rase pencil marks before using brush. 








50 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


LESSON NINETEEN 

Without attempting to moralize it may be stated as an indisputable fact 
that a large percentage of newspaper cartoon strip humor is based on 
cruelty. In this it does not greatly differ from most other humor. The 
climaxes usually show someone in distress, mentally or physically. Take 
one of the most popular strips, Mutt and Jeff, does not the last panel 
almost invariably end with the littlest member of the firm' with his head 
in contact with a brick propelled by Mr. Mutt? And so it is with at least a 
dozen other of the most admired of the comic series. Far be it for the 
humble author to take up the probably impossible task of reforming the 
popular taste in such matters. 

Take the sketch of the inoffensive fat man in the first panel; 
nobody cares for him, scarcely smiles at him, and the pensive billy goat 
receives little more attention. But bring the two together after the fashion 
shown at their right and the combination may be provocative of some de - 
gree of hilarity on the part of the observer. The laugh is on the old chap 
with excess baggage in the way of adipose tissue. In the next sketch the 
haw - haw is on the poor animal that doesn’t believe in signs. Even the 


















CARTOONING MADE EASY 


51 


next cut showing bits of shredded goat evokes no expression of sympathy 
or grief. And from the cartoonist’s standpoint it is a good thing that things 
are thus, and helps make his life just one prolonged holiday—almost. 

See if you can’t make a “lay figure” of a goat. I have one (a lay figure, 
not a goat) and when I feel grouchy I take it out of its envelope—and in 
five minutes I’m the most cheerful cuss east of the Mississippi. 



The characters seen above were drawn by means of tracings and “off¬ 
sets.” The heads it will be noted face the same way while the bodies are 
reversed. The effect is that of four separately posed figures. 



















/ 


52 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


Notice how many curved lines there are in the drawing of this initial. 
They say nature abhors a vacuum, and I might add that she does not seem 
to dote to any alarming extent on straight lines. We build on straight lines; 
the plumb line is straight enough for even the most Puritanical, but where 
in nature do you see a straight line?—not on your face or body, and you 
know what is said about man being the most noble, etc. Even tree trunks, 
limbs and twigs if seen closely have no perfectly straight lines and — but 
why get into an argument? Let’s go on with our lesson. 









CARTOONING MADE EASY 


53 


LESSON TWENTY 

LMOST invariably, initial letters are pleasing to the eye, 
and amusing too, especially when beginning a wordy de¬ 
scription relating to affairs which have preceded in a 
comic series. If the strip has been running for quite a 
while, it may be taken for granted that there are new 
readers who are unfamiliar with the thread of the story. 
It is well, therefore, once in a while, to relate briefly some 
adventures—to tell the gist of the plot in a few words, oc¬ 
cupying the space, say of one panel. Thus, for instance: 

Nip, a sagacious dog, and Tuck, more or less piratically inclined, 
after a number of hair - raising adventures, have secured a map 
showing the spot on a desert island where a presumably large hunk 
of loot has been buried. They have secured help and money by in¬ 
ducing Finley Flub to help them. The dreadful tale now proceeds. 

For exercise, make an initial N to suit the above quoted explanatory 
paragraph. The initial word “Now," which you will find on another page, 
will give you a hint of what will be appropriate. But don’t copy the initial 
word. Use your imagination and get up an original design. Draw it twice 
as high and wide—that is, about two inches square. 









54 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


LESSON TWENTY - ONE 

Sketch the faces of your family and friends. Then make caricatures 
from, the sketches. It may be just as well to keep these “under your 
blotter.” Many people—especially the ladies, are sensitive, not to say 
supersensitive about having their features burlesqued, so to speak. 

You will find one additional feature added to the good qualities of your 
dog, or that of your neighbor’s. He or she won't mind being caricatured, 
and the more onery looking the canine model is the better for your purpose. 
Study the brute’s movements and make quick sketches, for unfortunately 
unless he (let’s presume it is a he) is sleeping, he won’t pose long in one 
position—especially if his pet flea is busy eating, he won’t pose long in one 
long meal. You will find this splendid practice in action drawing. This 
goes double for cats. 

In the three drawings of these dogs you will note that they are identi¬ 
cally similar in outline, but rendered or treated differently. 

The forlorn looking specimen of the canine kin,d is a reproduction of a 
pencil sketch in outline and presents an example of the right way to make 
a pencil sketch. 



“ ‘It’s a dog’s life,’ to be sure,—who ever heard one of us purps really com¬ 
plaining about our existence. We may look sad, but can’t help our looks. 
The saddest looking dorg may be the happiest inside—and think how much 
interest one of us gets out of a hundred - foot walk compared to that of the 
master going the same distance. ‘J’ever notice?’ ” 







CARTOONING MADE EASY 


55 



The only way to make a dog wag its tail, in a picture, is to make a few 
light lines radiating from the base of his tail—and just as long as that cau¬ 
dal appendage. (Note—Must look up “caudal” and see just what it means. 
C. L.) 











56 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


LESSON TWENTY - TWO 

The intervals of time and distance may he represented at times in the 
strips without taking up too much space. For instance, on this page, the 
man walking shows by his gait, in the second sketch, that he is weary and 
therefore footing it afar. To accentuate this the aspect of the scenery adds 
to the effect of distance; for it is evident that the old fellow has passed a 
hill in his journey. 

In the two sketches shown to the right, the interpretation of pass¬ 
ing hours is plainly evident. To have indicated a possible quarrel between 
the loving twain, it would only have been necessary to have reversed the 
figures of the pair, the moon rising on their propinquity and later showing 
a space between them to tell the story, with the moon well up above the 
horizon, just as it is in the second panel. 

Similar effects, of course can be obtained by varying positions of the 
sun. 










CARTOONING MADE EASY 


57 


l 

I 



Just make a sketch of these two panels, but reverse their positions and 
see what a different tale they tell. 

It all depends, as it were, on whether the moon is rising or setting. 
























58 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 



to keep a scrap book; not the ordinary kind, but a loose-leaf 
affair. A home made one will answer all purposes. Some¬ 
where around 12 x 18 inches in size for the pages will do. 
Manila paper cut to size for the material, and the cover of 
an old book, and there you are. Of course you will have to 
have scissors and paste. Number your pages and also num¬ 
ber each scrap to correspond to the number of the page on 
which it is pasted. When pasting, merely “tip” the scrap to the page—that 
is, apply just enough paste to the corners to keep them from falling off; 
then when you want to use the scrap it can be pulled off easily. Having the 
page number on the clipping it can be restored to its place on the page. 

When pasting the scraps, do so methodically. Keep your men, women, 
children and animals on separate sheets. Also, separately, have sheets for 
inanimate objects such as automobiles, furniture, houses, locomobiles, 
landscapes, costumes—anything and everything. Keep your blank sheets 
apart, for convenience—but in stock as it were. If you have, for instance, 
quite filled a sheet devoted to dogs, and wish to start another one, number 
that page 17B, for instance, and thus you will keep your subjects un¬ 
divided. 

I appreciate the value of scrap books the more because an unhappy 
series of circumstances has deprived me of their assistance while I am 
compiling this little work. This makes it necessary for me to write and 
draw nearly everything “out of my own head,” which operation, however, 
conducive to originality, is a great wear and tear on my scanty supply of 
grey matter—whatever that is. 

The scrap book, being loose - leaf should be protected by having three 
sides of the covers provided with easily tied strings or tape. 











CARTOONING MADE EASY 


59 


IS PARTICULARLY desirable to Dreserve for future ref¬ 
erence all objects that may seem difficult to draw from 
memory such as — 

Elephants, 

turkeys, on the hoof, and on the platter. 

Horses, in various attitudes, 
dogs, cows and rats—ditto, 
bits of natural or unnatural history. 

Santa Claus, Columbia, Uncle Sam, Johnny Bull and other typical 
and representative foreigners, male and female. 

Father Time, Cupid, Neptune and other mythical fellows. 

Skulls, skeletons and shipping (including both kinds of schooners, 
even if one is extinct). 

Airplanes—especially airplanes. 

Farmers—the cartoon kind, that exist in the cartoonist’s imagination. 
Ditto old maids. 

And so on, ad infinigan. 

When drawing an initial for publicat - 
ion purposes, all pictorial matter (like 
the book in the initial word “It” for in - 
stance), should be placed at the left and 
underneath of the initial itself. If the 
ornamentations extended too much at 
the top, it might crowd the upper margin 
of the page: if it extended to the right 
it would be apt to interfere with the 
proper jointing of the initial with the 
type matter at the right,. Extending the 
pictorial matter a little at left or bot - 
tom, or both, is permissible. 













60 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


LESSON TWENTY - THREE 

The usual method of making a reduced or enlarged drawing of any copy 
is to divide the copy into squares, and then make corresponding squares 
on the drawing paper on which the reduced or enlarged design is to be 
made. This involves accuracy in ruling off the two sets of squares, beside 
the necessity of numbering all the outside squares, tops and sides, in order 
to identify them. 

In the aggregate I wasted many, many hours of time by using this time - 
honored systenn, until I stumbled on a method, which I believe entirely my 
own and by which I saved much time and gained increased accuracy. 

Instead of making many squares, I needed only one—the outside border 
lines of the thing to be copied, whether same size, reduction or enlargement, 
didn’t matter. 


Figure 1 

A P 



In Figure 1, the squares or rectangle, rather, is represented by A. A. A. A. 
This I bisected by the two long, oblique, or slanting lines B. B. Then the 
center horizontal lines are drawn. Next the lines C, C, C, C. If an oval is 
desired, lines D, D, D, D, as shown in the second diagram may be added. 

On the succeeding page I show how the large copy at the left is divided, 
and then reproduced in part in the smaller one at the right. In this case only 
the tall chap was needed and something else was to be added in place of the 
fellow on the stump. 

For exercise, draw the large square twice as large as shown here. Draw 
lines in this succession—A, B, C, D. 

Now draw a rectangle the size of the large one shown here, and divide 
that as shown in the smaller one, that is, A A, B B, C C, D D. 

Proceed to draw, in reduced form, all the detail in the big sketch, includ¬ 
ing the little fellow on the stump. 

Make other enlargements of various other faces and figures. You may 
make enlargements (by eye) of any of the faces here shown and then re¬ 
duce them or enlarge them, as you choose. 

In figure F the fat fellow is reduced in flesh by making a slim panel as 
at G. Reversely, at I, the man in H is rendered quite squat-looking by re¬ 
versing the operation. 

You will find that it will hardly be necessary to number the divisions (as 
you would have to do with the squaring-off method) for the reason that 
the varying positions of the triangles show you “where you are at.” 




















1 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


61 


You will find this a fine method for copying any picture that you do not 
wish to mar by pencil lines. In such a case simply put pins' at A, B, C and D 
and use thread instead of pencil marks for the lines. 




















































62 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


Is it not so that the giraffe, the ostrich and the turtle have expressive 
necks? I’ll say they have! And so have geese and several other members 
of the animal kingdom, come to think of it! But man is left out in the cold 
when it comes to the possessing the gift of expression of the neck. Of 
course we speak abstractively of “rubbernecks,” but that is figurative. 
To the rescue comes Br’er Cartoonist. He makes the rubberneck literal 
and concrete—even if he can’t make the cranium above appear concrete 
in construction. Hewever, he beats nature to it when it comes to showing 
expression in the connection link between body and head. 

A very frank friend once said to me, “Led, old man, don’t ever try to tell 
a joke unless you’ve a chance to make a diagram to go with it. So here 
goes for a diagram, a bit scratchy, and incoherent, too, but it accen¬ 
tuates my point. 










































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« 


•* 













' 


* 


» 










% 
































FEB 












Don’t Be a Reprobate 

A few good drawings ever win admiration, 

But a whole slew of poor ones meet reprobation. 


M ADE E asy 


A COURSE OF INSTRUCTION IN 
THIRTY UP-TO-THE-MINUTE LESSONS 
IN FOUR BOOKS 

BY CHARLES LEDERER 

For twenty years Chief Cartoonist New York World and 
other Metropolitan Dailies ( 1883 - 1903 ). Founder of the 
Lederer School of Drawing ( 1904 ). Author of “The Junior 
Cartoonist ,” “Drawing Made Easy,” “Lederer’s Progressive 
Drawing Lessons” Lederer’s Art Course,” etc., etc. 
(1907 - 1923 ). 


Copyright, 1923, by 
CHARLES LEDERER 



THIS IS BOOK III. 
(Lessons 24 to 27) 


ALL ILLUSTRATIONS BY THE AUTHOR 


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JUDY PUBLISHING COMPANY 

Business Managers of 
LEDERER SCHOOL OF ART 
1922 Lake Street 
CHICAGO 




































































































DEC 24 *23 


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CARTOONING MADE EASY 


67 


Perhaps the main difference between the cartoonist and the illustrator 
is that the former tries to distort, while the latter attempts to reproduce 
what he sees or imagines in nature. The illustrator has to study hard, the 
cartoonist depends little on such study, but devotes himself to developing 
his imagination and sense of humor—and the grotesque. 

The regular artist studies proportions. The cartoonist applies himself to 
disproportions. For instance, take the proportions of the human figure 
shown below, the normal ratio is seven heads to the length of the body. The 
cartoonist ignores this rule and usually makes his figures with heads much 
bigger in proportion. Some few go quite far to the other extreme and draw 
their characters nine or ten heads to the body, but these are exceptions 
and have not achieved popularity to any great degree. 

On this page are shown a few specimens of the stunted head style 
of cartooning and the other kind. 
















CARTOONING MADE EASY 


CORRECTING ERRORS IN PEN-AND-INK 

If a slight mistake has been made in an ink line, it may be corrected by 
the use of the tube of white which is furnished with the LEDERER 
SCHOOL OF ART outfit. 

Squeeze a little of the white into a small dish, saucer or butter 
plate), and if it is too thick, dilute it with a drop or two of water. Then 
use your brush with a little of the white. 

Use the white sparingly, for if applied too thickly it may crack and peel 

off. 

If the error to be corrected is a serious one, such as an entire line of let¬ 
tering to be drawn over again, do not use the white. Wait until the ink 
is dry. Then cut a strip off of a sheet of the gummed paper supplied with 
the outfit. Cut it to fit the space requiring correction, leaving a little mar¬ 
gin, and paste this on the part to be changed. Wait until the gum is dry 
and then make your lines in pencil, going over the letters with ink. 

For other corrections, such as a face, hand or any other part of a pen 
drawing that is inked in wrongly, proceed in the same manner. 

Try to draw correctly in the first place and avoid a patchy looking pro¬ 
duction. 


This book besides the lessons contains a quantity of hints and general 
instruction necessary for the student of cartooning. While this does not 
come under the head of “lessons,” such instruction is important to the stu¬ 
dent who has advanced and gained proficiency in his studies. 


The exercises in this next and succeeding lessons are for pen and ink, as 
well as for pencil work. 







CARTOONING MADE EASY 


69 


LESSON TWENTY - FOUR 

Make separate sketches of a number of characters, eight or ten, say, that 
may be adapted for use in the strip series. Draw them the same relative 
heights that they would appear if placed in each others company. Select 
or sort them out in groups of two or three; see that they are suitable to 
each other. And by that I mean that they are in contrast. Take for instance' 
a large stout party with a full equator and pair him off with a cadaverous 
individual with a concave center - piece. The large party might be quite 
or almost devoid of hair, while the ramrod - like citizen could sport hair 
enough for a young mattress. If both are well dressed, and a third char¬ 
acter is desirable, seek one who is apparently down on his Iuck, as far as 
raiment is concerned. 

Start them out on their checkered career. Mark off squares on scratch 
paper, with space enough in each to make notes of what each character 
is to say or do. Pick out some joke and let each have a part; or two of 
them might do all the “talking,” while the third character, if there is one, 
might be a sort of innocent bystander, betraying only disgust, surprise or 
merriment at the doings or sayings of the others. 

Look over your collection of joke - clippings. No doubt but what you 
will find one that you can alter to suit the occasion. At the moment of 
writing this I have no such collection. 

In a general way very little detail is requisite for a strip cartoon. I 
might almost say the less the better. Unless the story told depends to a 
certain definite extent on some object outside of the characters themselves 
the background should be very much subordinated. This is especially so 
because too much detail is confusing to the eye and is apt to dull the en¬ 
tire effect. The human figures should with few exceptions, dominate the 
picture—take up the greater space. The lines outlining the figures, human 
or otherwise, and the minor accessories in direct connection with them 
should contain heavier lines, more pronounced, than those indicating the 
background and minor accessories. 

The backgrounds should be drawn last—the figures first, then the 
balloons, with their contents, then the backgrounds. One reason for doing 
this is to save work. If you were to sketch in all the background before 
the balloon - space, the former would have to be erased to make way for 
the enclosures for the lettering. 



70 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


This page shows the rough, preliminary sketch for a strip and the sub¬ 
sequent finished pen drawing of the same subject. Under each of the 
panels is scribbled the text for the balloons with corrections. Always be 
quite sure what you want to appear in the balloons, for I must reiterate 
the warning that corrections are easy before and difficult after the pen- 
and - ink work is done. 

Under the rough sketch is the completed strip. 































































CARTOONING MADE EASY 


71 


It is my belief that any newspaper that uses comic clippings as fillers for 
its column - ends daily provides with these clippings a sufficiency of ideas 
and brain ammunition for at least one comic strip a day. Mind you, these 
borrowed jokes usually only supply the suggestions—it is up to you to 
carry them out to completion. 

Therefore, I will pick up the first newspaper at hand and see if I can’t 
commandeer a workable joke—at least one that will readily adapt itself 
for my purpose. I assure you that this is the actual experience of the 
moment. 

I find this comic item in the Chicago Evening Post of the day on which 
I am writing (September thirteenth, 1923): — 


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CARTOONING MADE EASY 


More Profitable Scheme 

Junior Law Partner—We must take our head clerk into partnership. 
He has had a half million dollars left to him. 

Senior Ditto—Into partnership? No, no! We must part with him on 
good terms and get him as a client/ 

Let’s adopt the idea—not the characters. We will sketch two of the 
characters and make stock brokers of them, letting them, stand outside of 
their place of business. Another sketch will portray a very shabby 
individual (the fortunate heir). 

So I have made a few rough sketches showing how the idea may be 
worked out. 

These you will find on the preceding page. 



^5AY.» \ 
WHEN AM i \ 
GOING TOGZT 
THAT TROVT? 


MUM 50ME 

f -THAT 


RIGHT 

AWAY, 


VERY 

WEUL 


WAITER!! 
WHASSE*./ 
MATTER- 1 ' 
WITH THAT 

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CARTOONING MADE EASY 


73 


And here is another—from the Chicago Daily News of the same date, 
just a few lines about a chap in a restaurant getting impatient at the delay 
in executing his order of fried perch. 

Finally, in sarcastic tones, he asks the waiter what sort of bait he uses. 
The idea needs no change—only expression—and we can use it in the 
manner shown on the adjoining page. 

If I intened to submit this for publication, I would redraw the strip with 
the figures reversed. That is, place the waiter on the right of each drawing, 
so that the “chatter” would appear in its proper order; that is, from left 
to right, so that the balloons would read thus: “Gimme some of that trout.” 
“Very well, sir.” 

Sometimes it is practically impossible to place the spoken lines in their 
right progression, but in this case a reversal of the figures on the drawing 
would bring all the “talk” in its proper sequence. 

And another thing—I would look at my watch or a clock and get the 
dial on the clock in this scene in its proper manner. See if you can draw 
a clock or watch dial correctly—from memory. Try it. I am not referring 
to a dial with Arabic numerals, that is, 1, 2, 3, etc., but the Roman numer¬ 
als 1, II, III. etc. 

For this lesson exercise take either or both of these subjects and finish 
them in regular strip style. I am only giving you the rough idea. No doubt, 
by this time, you are sufficiently advanced to take skeletonized ideas and 
elaborate them. 

Be sure and send these examples of your work to me for criticism, cor¬ 
rection and advice. 



74 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


Many of the oldest jokes known to man are daily being revived shorn 
of their mildewed whiskers and made to ma-squerade as material for up - 
to - date cartoons. Here is a joke told to me many years ago by a Holland 
humorist on his native heath. It ran something like this: A man was found 
guilty of disrespect of authority by calling a bailiff a monkey. Having paid 
his fine the culprit turned to the magistrate and said, “So it is unlawful 
to call a bailiff a monkey?” “Most certainly,” agreed the court. “Is it also 
a breach of law to call a monkey a bailiff?” “No—I think not.” “Well, 
then,” said the offender, bowing with exaggerated courtesy to the bailiff, 
“I wish to bid you a very good morning, Mr. Bailiff!” 

So just as an example of how a timeworn jest may be rehabilitated, I 


The CALLEP nEA^FnHAT'LUBE 
MONKEY, Y'HONORJ FIFTY BUCKS 
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CARTOONING MADE EASY 


75 


resurrect the above related one and present it anew, dressed up in modern 
comic strip form, as shown on the opposite page. 

Almost any joke ending with a climax may be adopted, by means of the 
slightest literary ability. Professional cartoonists who do not possess that 
employ writers to hunt up funny stuff and lay out a little scenario of the 
plot by sections, usually four in number, with the necessary chatter for the 
balloons. 








CARTOONING MADE EASY 


LESSON TWENTY - FIVE 

CCASIONALLY send me examples of what you can do in 
the way of original examples of work of this kind. 

The lettering may be made all in capitals (“caps”), or 
large capitals and lower case (“small”) letters, which 
the printers term, u lc—(upper and lower case). 

But if you use upper and lower case, you must have a 
knowledge of the proper use of capital letters which 
many cartoonists do not possess. 

An optimistic editor once asked me to draw a chap with an expression 
on his face indicating that he was thinking of his early childhood. He (the 
editor, not the chap) had just raised my salary five bucks a week, so I had 
to humor him, but when he saw the illustration the boss sadly remarked 
that the fellow looked as if he was thinking of rent - day. That was years 
ago. Today I would have solved the problem by sticking a cloudlike form 
above his head with a kid in knickers, and the legend, “Mee chee-ildhood 
days,” and that would be that. 

Nowadays, whenever the strippest wants his character to do any thinking 
he puts the thunk into a neatly scalloped cloud with the subject of his big 
thought illustrated with a few outlines. 

On the next page are displayed a few standard illustrated thoughts. The 
captions below each of them are quite superfluous, but I put them there just 
because there was room for a number of variations in styles of freehand 
lettering. 

It is good practice, in simplified but expressive illustration, to draw 
these “thunks.” 

Practice the following subjects and see what you can do in the way of 

Expectation of a cold reception. 
Expectation of a sudden wealth. 
Expectation of a legacy. 

Fear of expectation of arrest. 

Fear of expectation of a lawsuit. 

Fear of expectation of imprisonment. 
Expectation of a visit from the under¬ 
taker. 

Expectation of a visit from the mother- 
in - law. (obsolete) 


expressing them in brief form: 
















CARTOONING MADE EASY 


77 



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CARTOONING MADE EASY 


78 


The fine, even tints you often see applied to cartoons drawn for line 
etchings are not placed in the drawings by the artist, but are added in the 
engraving room by the Ben Day proces. Poor Ben, alas! I knew him well. 
Anyway, some time in the seventies Ben Day, an artist invented a method 
by which various tints could be transferred from transparent films of cel¬ 
luloid to any desired portion of the design. He transferred the tints directly 
to the drawing, but they are now put on by the etcher during the etching 
process. This and the next page are examples of the same drawings with¬ 
out and with the addition of Ben Day. Wonder what they would call it if 
his name had been William Witkinhofenson? 

An extra charge, by the way is made by engraving concerns for applying 

Ben Day to an etching. 


HELP WANTED 

BY C^P-TOONIST 
A COUPLA C H A.R ACT RR-5 

experienced in .strip WORK. 

WAGE5, .SALARIES *> 

MOL'UMLNTS OPTIONAL 

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CARTOONING MADE EASY 


79 


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PHELP WANTED 

BY C^D.T00N«5T 
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CttPERIE-NCEDJN^STRJP WORK 

WAGES, iAM,RlE;5 Wp r- 
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UNDERTIME ANJ> 

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MARKED COPiE-S 


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80 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


LESSON TWENTY-SIX 

The shop term for the spaces in which the spoken words are confined 
are called “balloons,” no matter what their shape. 

The lettering is an important feature, and the matter of making the 
letters is well worth careful study. They should be made very plain, devoid 
of little flourishes or any faddish dewdads. Capitals are used almost ex¬ 
clusively. 

Rules to be observed are these: 

Very little space between the letters of a word are required. On the 
other hand do not crowd your words. 

Make all your letters vertical. Avoid mixing slanting with vertical 
letters. 

Do not attempt to letter without first drawing faint parallel lines. Sketch 
lightly with pencil before inking. 

A good plan is to cut slots or openings in the form of parallel guide lines 
out of a piece of cardboard. Almost any business card will answer the 
purpose. Cut out two or three for lines of letters of various heights. 

A pen whose point has become blunted by use is best adapted for let¬ 
tering or a new broad-nibbed pen may be used, but a new, fine-pointed pen 
never. 

In lettering your cartoons, if they are intended for publication, bear 
in mind that all drawings (with rare exceptions) are reduced in 
size before being printed. Broadly speaking, the reduction is one - half 
—sometimes more, sometimes less. Therefore a drawing four by four 
inches will appear when printed two by two inches, if it is half reduction. 
By the same reduction a drawing ten by seven will appear five by three 
and a half inches—and so on. Now, the smallest type in general use in 
newspaper is called 6 point type, which means six seventy - seconds of an 
inch in height. That is to say, the capital letters are one twelfth of an 
inch in height. So you see, that in a half reduction cut your letters should 
be drawn not less than 12 - point type, (meaning type 12 seventy - seconds 
of an inch, or one-sixth of an inch.) If the reduction is to be a little less 
than one half, make your letters about an eighth of an inch high. If 
the reduction is to be greater, as for instance a drawing six inches in 
width reduced to two inches wide make your letters 18 - point high, (three 
twelfths or one-fourth of an inch), so that the “two-thirds reduction” will 
bring the letters down to the final 6-point size. Smaller type, such as 5 and 
5Ms point are sometimes used in newspapers and magazines, but you had 
better err in safety and make your lettering too big rather than too small. 
For sizes see page 83. 

Draw parallel lines, very faintly for all your chatter. And sketch your 
words with pencil before inking. Changes are then easily made and you 
will more readily avoid crowding. Erasures of the inked letters are usually 
difficult, and afterwards noticeable. 




CARTOONING MADE EASY 


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HAVE THE MERIT OF 
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82 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


LESSON TWENTY - SEVEN 

IGURE 7 shows the alphabet in what printers term “24 - 
point.” Figure 2 is reduced one-half of Figure 1, and is 
called 12 - point. Figure 3 is half the height of Figure 2, 
and is called 6 - point. Each point is one - seventy - sec - 
ond of an inch, therefore, 24 - point is one - third of an 
inch, 12 - point is one - sixth of an inch. Thirty - six point 
type is half an inch high, while type one inch high would 
be 72 -> point. 

Figure 4 shows an alphabet in which the letter occupies from one-fourth 
to the same width and heighth, and, as in the case of M and W, even one - 
quarter Wider than high. A, H and Y are in square shaped spaces. The 
others, except, I are three - quarters as wide as they are high. Z which is 
omitted should be three - fourths as wide as high. The numeral I is the 
same as I and zero the same as O. 

For practice, rule off squares twice as big as the copy and then make 
the letters and numerals. With sufficient practice you will automatically 
make the numerals and letters according to the right proportions. 

For cartoon purposes the ends or stems of the letters need not be quite 
square, but just as your pen leaves them, without additional effort on your 
part. 

Don’t indulge in flourishes. Instead, I beg of you, make your words 
simple, and the letters forming the words as plain, as legible as you can. 
It is regrettable that many otherwise successful and pleasing cartoonists 
have adopted a slovenly, faddish style of lettering that is almost hierogly¬ 
phic—at least, nearly undecipherable at times. 

The chief thing to be observed in any lettering required in your cartoons 
are these 1 — 

Make your letters absolutely upright, except in the rare instances where 
italicised or slanting letters are required. 

Make your letters in each word equi - distant, that is, evenly spaced 
and fairly close, with plenty of space between words. 

Before lettering your chatter write it on a bit of scratch paper and edit 
it. Cut it down to as few words as possible, being careful, however, not 
to make the language stilted or too abrupt. The use of slang is largely a 
matter of taste, depending also on the character supposed to be speaking. 
Many cartoonists use slang in their balloons for brevity’s sake—for 
instance, “gonna” for “going to,” “watcha” for “what are you,” or “what 
have you,” and the like. 







CARTOONING MADE EASY 


83 


Figure 1 

ABCDEFGH IJ 
KLMNOPQRS 
TU V WXYZ 

Figure 2 

ABC DEFGHI JKLMnOPQ 
RSTUVWXYZ 

Figure 3 

ABCDEFG HIJKLM NOPQ RSTUVWXYZ 


Fig 4 . 






















































































































































CARTOONING MADE EASY 


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CARTOONING MADE EASY 


85 


The design below appeared in the official organ of the United States 
Army General Hospital for wounded soldiers, at Fort Des Moines, Iowa, 
where I was stationed in 1918 -1919. 

A reproduction of the original drawing appears in the preceding page. 
The design was used on a greatly enlarged scale for poster purposes. I con¬ 
ducted the class mentioned until my tranfer to Fort Sheridan, Ill., a year 
or so later. 




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86 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


Leave at least the space of one letter between words. Space between 
lines should be about two - thirds the space taken by the depth of letters. 
There is no exact rule in this respect, but it is better to have too much 
space between lines than not enough. 

Make your lines horizontal and not slanting. 

Try not to break a syllable on the break of a line. But if you are caught 
for a space it is better to break a syllable than unduly crowd the last 
letters in a line. All this can almost always be avoided if you lightly 
sketch the words with pencil before inking. As much pains should be 
taken with the script (or “print”) as with the picture itself. 

Avoid curly-cues and fancy work in all lettering except in such ornament¬ 
al designs that really seem to beg for embellishment. 

Capital letters serve all purposes in balloons. 

Freehand lettering is a subject of considerable importance to the would - 
be cartoonist. Of course, the pictures, as far as possible, should tell their 
own stories, but it is certainly even more necessary in most cases that the 
verbal part should be clear in its message, typographically and from its 
simple literary standpoint. Remember, my embryo cartoonist, that when 
you make a cartoon you are in a way the whole thing in presenting the 
production—you are typesetter as well as pictorial joke constructor. It is 
difficult to “edit” your “copy.” What you have to say must be clear in 
meaning and legible. Just as much so, if not more, than any other part of 
the publication in which your work appears. I say “just as much go” ad¬ 
visedly, for the chances are that your stuff will be seen and read by many 
who hold the editorials and everything else printed in the journal in 
deepest scorn. I refer to the little tots, the kiddies, who are not yet old 
enough to become interested in affairs in general as brought to notice in 
the public print, yet fly avidly to scan the “funny part.” 




CARTOONING MADE EASY 


87 


A little knowledge of comic drawing is valuable to almost everyone. 
Things can be “said” in a few lines in even a crude drawing that might 
give offense if told in mere words. For instance someone owes you a sum 
of money. Perhaps the debtor is one of the sort, or the circumstances are 
such, that an ordinary dun would give offense. A signed note containing 
merely a pen sketch something like shown on page 89, signed with the 
name and address of the creditor would be apt to produce results. The 
chances are that a sense of humor would be an open sesame to the purse. 
Anyway I have frequently found it so. Invariably when I communicate 
with some big gun who has one or two secretaries to look after his mail 







88 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


(replying to it themselves, even if it is marked “personal”). I (at least try 
to) solve that problem by incorporating a little bit of fun in the word 
“personal” on the envelope (see my “personals”). In most instances when I 
embellished my missives in this manner I have received a personally auto¬ 
graphed reply direct from the party addressed. On one occasion having a 
grievance against a big express company I addressed a virulent message 
venting my indignation mostly in illustrated howls. To my surprise I 
was asked to call on the general manager. The result was that the matter 
was immediately adjusted to my complete satisfaction. The G. M. fortun¬ 
ately possessed of a sense of humor and I still number him among my 
choisest personal friends. Once when I wanted to intimate by letter to a 
fire-eating Southerner that I considered him as a liar, class A, I did so 
by introducing into my letter a sketch of a comic monument of Ananias, 
in such a way as to convey my message without resultant bloodshed. Like 
almost every American he had a sense of humor. 


About Colored Cartoons 

For cartoons intended for colored comic supplements a different treat¬ 
ment is usually required than for black-and-white comics, such as are 
printed in the regular editions of newspapers or other periodicals. The 
style for colored cartoons needs the most simple treatment—severe outline 
and solid black; no shading whatever. 

When making drawings for this purpose, do not under any circumstances 
color your drawings. The color is applied to the proofs of the black plate 
after that has been made. Unless you work at “headquarters” the coloring 
is done by a specialist connected with the engraving department of what¬ 
ever concern turns out the work. 

Of course, engravings can be made direct from oil paintings, colored 
drawings of any sort, but that requires the use of one of the more ex¬ 
pensive proceses with which cartoonists seldom have anything to do. 

The cartoon examples in this course are intended only as black-and 
white descriptions. It is time enough for you to think of getting into the 
colored supplement game after you have, as it were, served an apprentice¬ 
ship at straight one - color (black) printing comics. 


Curved lines, as a rule, are more pleasing to the eye than straight ones. 
Therefore, avoid an aspect of angularity of line in your drawing. 

I would rather have you make one good drawing in an hour of slow, 
careful work, than ten slovenly ones “dashed off” in twenty minutes. Speed 
is not desirable in your early training in the art of making pictures, 
whether serious or comic. 







CARTOONING MADE EASY 


89 

























90 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


CONCERNING THE PRINTER 

By WILLIAM LEWIS JUDY 
President of Judy Publishing Company 
1922 Lake Street, Chicago 


I. PAPER 

Paper stock used by printers can mostly be grouped into six general 
classes: 

1. Book paper includes all newsprint, coated stock (both enameled and 
calendared), machine finish and eggshell. 

Newsprint has a rough surface and pliable texture, and is used for news - 
papers. 

Enameled and calendered are coated papers, that is, a smooth even sur¬ 
face is given them, in the process of manufacturing, by pressing a filler in¬ 
to themi as they pass thru rollers. Calendared paper, sometimes called 
super, has a lighter coating than has enamel. Calendared is used mostly 
for magazines and circulars. 

Machine finish has no coating but its smooth surface gives it the appear¬ 
ance of coated paper. 

Eggshell is an uncoated, rough - surfaced, soft stock, used mostly for 
books, formal announcements, and programs. It is the oldest kind of paper 
and as popular today as at any time. 

2. Bond paper is a tough, smooth - finisht paper usually manufactured 
out of rags (except sulphite bond, the lowest - priced bond.) It crackles, 
takes ink, is durable, and is used mostly for letterheads and office forms. 

3. Ledger paper is a tough, smooth - finisht stock, made from linen rags. 

4. Flat writing paper, much like enameled book paper, has no coating. 

5. Cardboard (and bristols) is heavy, prest stock, either coated or un¬ 
coated. 

6. Cover stock is pliable, heavy paper, used, of course, for covers. 

The weights of papers are not on a uniform basis. Book is classified as 
40, 45, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 and 100 pounds. Bond and flat as 13., 16, 20 and 24 
pounds 1 . All weights are per ream and the printer’s ream is not 480 but 500 
sheets, of any size. 

Cardboard weight is usually stated in thickness, namely, from 2 - ply to 
10 - ply. 

The most common weight of envelopes is 20 pounds; sometimes 
the 24 pound weight is used. 

Envelopes have many sizes but the two common sizes are No. 6%, size 
3% X6 1 /* 1 , which is the size for commercial use, and No. 10, size 4 Vs x9%. 

The various groups of papers are furnisht in standard sizes. Book paper 
is made in sizes 24 x 36, 25 x 38 (the basis for figuring weight), 28 x 42 and 
up to 44 x 64. 

Cardboard is obtainable mainly in the 22 x 28 size. 

Cover paper is furnisht in two sizes—20 x26 and 23 x 33. 

Bond paper runs mostly in the 17 x 22 size or the double size 22 x 34. This 
size cuts exactly into the letterhead, 8 V 2 x 11, or the half - letterhead or in- 





CARTOONING MADE EASY 


91 


voice size, 5%'x8%. Other sizes are 17 x28, 19 x24, 24 x 38 and 28 x34. 

Business cards are sized by number, namely, 117 (smallest), 88, 70, 63, 
55, 48 and 36p. Round - cornered cards have passed away with the celluloid 
collar and the red-flannel shirt. 

Cover paper commonly may be obtained in three finishes—plate (smooth), 
antique (eggshell), and ripple (wavy). Thickness is denominated as 
single thick or double thick. 

Bond paper, cover and cardboard can usually be secured in all chief 
colors but book paper usually in white and india only. 

Not all papers fold well; only certain brands do so without cracking the 
surface. 

A few old - fashioned printers use the descriptive names for sizes of 
paper, such as foolscap for 13 x 16, folio for 17 x 22 and elephant for 23 x 28, 
but these printers will soon be dead. 

Paper has a grain in like manner as wood. The direction of the grain 
can be found by tearing the paper; it tears more easily with the grain. It 
folds also more easily if folded parallel with the grain. 

II. ILLUSTRATIONS 

Illustrations almost double the readable interest of printed matter. Most 
of the public thinks with its eyes. A circular of solid type is passed by and 
one alive with sketches and pictures is read. The artist’s creations should 
be used profusely; the printer will not be jealous. Rather a few-well - 
chosen words and one or two illustrations than a page black with words 
which say little. 

Illustrations are grouped into halftones, zinc etchings (line plates), and 
wood blocks. 

A halftone is made from a photograph, a zinc etching from a pen and 
black ink sketch, a wood block is engraved by hand on a piece of wood. 

Halftones cost approximately 24c the square inch, for sizes to six inches 
square, with a minimum charge of $3.75 for two inches square or smaller. 
Zinc etchings cost approximately 60 per cent that of halftones. Wood 
engravings are costly on account of hand craftsmanship; they are seldom 
used altho they lend artistic value. 

Electrotypes are remoulds of halftones, zinc etchings, or of type forms. 
It duplicates faithfully and is low - priced, costing per square inch from 
about four cents for large size to eight cents for small size. Four like half¬ 
tones, five inches square, would cost $27.00, at scale price; if one halftone 
only were made, then three electrotypes from the one half - tone, the cost 
of all four would be only $12.75. Any number of electrotypes can be made 
from an original; an electrotype can be made from an electrotype. 
They wear well. 

Halftones print well only on coated paper. They vary in fineness from 
*55 - screen (the coarsest) to 150 - screen (the finest). A 120-or 133- screen 
are used most com ( monly. For newspapers, 55 - 65 - 85 - screens are used. 
Halftones print poorly on bond paper and can not be used on eggshell 
paper. 

The shape of a halftone may be square, oval, outline and vignette. 





92 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


The Ben Day process gives a color tint to a halftone or zinc etching. The 
Ben Day on page 71 of this book cost $5.00 in addition to the first cost of 

the zinc etching. 

Reverse plates can be made from halftones or zinc etchings, by which 
process, either the colors or the positions or both can be reversed. 

For halftone use, photographs should be clear in detail. 

The finishing process or surface of halftones may be highlight, mezzo, 
one - way, deep etch and gray tone. 

The illustration to be photographed for a zinc etching should be drawn 
in deep black ink on very white paper, every ink line distinct. 

When it is desired to reproduce an illustration in more than one color, 
a separate cut must be made for each color. The original illustration 
shows all the colors; these are separated by the camera of the engraver. 
A separate drawing for each color is not made. 

When ordering a cut, state the screen, if a halftone, and in all cases, the 
size of cut one way only, either the width or heighth. The other dimension 
is always in proportion. 

Lines should be drawn on the illustration to show just what is to be in¬ 
cluded, if it is not desired to make a cut of the entire illustration. 

Photographs or illustrations should not be folded as the crease causes 
a defect to show in the cut 

III. TYPE 

Type may be any size in height. Seventy - two points make one inch; 
thus, thirty - six point type would be one - half inch high. The old custom 
of a strange name for each size, such as bourgeois for eight - point, has 
happily been discarded. 

The chief groups of type styles are gothic (straight line and right 
angles), Roman (curving, such as newspaper type), Old English (used for 
social purposes, and seldom readable by any one except the printer), and 
script (handwriting). 

The assembling of type into forms is by hand (foundry type, each letter 
a separate piece of metal), and linotype (a full line cast almost instantly 
by a linotype machine and remelted after being used on the press). 

In surface of letter, a type may be extended or condensed, bold (black) 
face or light face. 

The length of line is to be considered when determining the point of 
type to be used. The shorter the line, the smaller the type. The eye tires 
quickly in reading long lines of small - point type. 

IV. COLOR 

All colors are either red, blue or yellow, or a mixture of them. 

Certain colors of paper stock do not show the printing well. For in - 
stance, black shows poorly on red or deep brown, blue shows well on india 
or yellow, and green shows well on brown. 

For most purposes, black on white still remains the best. 

For advertising puprposes, it is well to pay the printer the cost of an ex¬ 
tra run to print in two colors, for a two - color circular usually brings at 
least thirty per cent more responses than does one color. 




CARTOONING MADE EASY 


93 


The colors should harmonize with one another or fight one another. 
Fighting colors attract attention and are to be used in advertising copy. 
The safe course is to use harmonizing colors. Red fights black, orange 
hates green and blue loves yellow. 

V. COST 

When ordering printing, give the following information—size, quantity, 
color of ink, kind, color and quality of paper and a rough lay-out of kind of 
type and arrangement of the paper. 

The difference in cost between good paper and ordinary paper is so little 
that the use of poor paper bespeaks disfavor. The cost of very good paper 
stock in a thousand letterheads is only about ninety cents more than that 
of poor paper. Yet to save this amount, which is the cost of a few cigars, 
business firms will send out one thousand shabbily - drest salesmen. It is 
better to use fewer pieces and have them of fine paper than to use twice 
as many of poor quality; better to print a little piece of really good paper 
than a broadside of cheap stock, cheap ink, and imitation gold border. 

The printer buys his paper stock in certain fixt sizes. It is well to deter¬ 
mine the size of the printed piece so that it cuts out of these fixed sizes 
without much waste. Out of a sheet sized 24 x 36 inches, there can be cut 
16 pieces 6 x9, only twelve pieces 4 x 13, only 12 pieces 5 x 10. 

When noting corrections on a printer’s proof, encircle the incorrect part, 
draw a line from the circle to any of the margins, and there note the cor¬ 
rection. 

The copy furnisht the printer should be written plainly. Resetting of 
type because of error due to copy difficult to decipher is costly. Do not 
say to your printer—“I want a circular printed about mousetraps. Fix it up 
to suit yourself.” Instead of being as lazy as that, give him the complete 
copy arranged and proportioned as you want it. Give him a lay - out, which 
is a rough sketch, showing grouping, spacing, approximate size of type 
faces, display lines and the like. 

It is well for both the printer and patron that a proof be furnisht the lat¬ 
ter. This practice avoids error and misunderstanding. Changes in copy 
made on the proof are chargeable to the patron. 

VI. MISCELLANEOUS 

The printer uses the pica, one - sixth of an inch, for measurement. In - 
stead of saying one - half inch, he says three picas. 

Newspaper columns are usually 13 picas (two and one - sixth inches 
wide). When determining the size of cuts, keep in mind the width of the 
column or page on which they are to be printed. 

The prices of printing are most reasonable when one considers the skill, 
care and equipment needed to produce it. 

Advertising is commonly sold not by the inch, column wide, but by the 
one - fourteenth inch (agate line), column wide. 

As printed matter usually finds its way into the mails, attention should 
be given to the weight. Up to and including four pounds, the cost of postage 
is according to the third class rate, namely, one cent for each two ounces. 




94 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


Over four pounds printed matter must be paid for in postage according to 
the parcel post rate. It must be so inclosed that the post office can remove 
and examine contents and replace, unless the wrapper bears the notation 
“Postmaster—this package may be opened for inspection.” 

Printed matter can not be registered, unless postage is paid at the first - 
class rate. It can be insured only when sent as parcel post weighing over 
four pounds; if under four pounds, it can be insured only by sending it as 
first - class mail matter. 

The making of books is a specialized work, with which even many print¬ 
ers are not familiar. 

Binding of books, in order of cost, are as follows—paper, boards, cloth, 
skiver, roan, calfskin, Russia, Turkish morocco and Levant morocco. Hog- 
skin, parchment and vellum are uncommon bindings. 

Engraving properly is limited to letter engraving on a piece of copper or 
steel; the latter is preferred for longer wear. All this work is done by hand. 
The entire plate is covered with ink, but oil automatically removes the ink 
at each impression from all except the sunken lines of engraving. 

This oil process is used in lithography, which uses a stone for a plate. 
Lithography gives a pleasing flat appearance to the printing; it can be 
used for color work also, on any kind of surface or paper. Offset printing 
is done from sunken letters as are lithography and plate engraving. 

There is a process of engraving, strictly not engraving, which uses no 
plate. The work is printed on an ordinary press, from type, and while the 
ink is drying, the printed paper is passed over a heated surface and a pow¬ 
der isi sprinkled on it While being heated. The printed surface is thereby 
raised above the rest of the paper surface. This process is much cheaper 
than the plate engraving but much heat or rubbing wears off the raised 
surface leaving the original printed surface. 


Note—A book on printing for practical use by others than printers and also 
by printers themeselves* entitled “CONCERNING PRINTING,” is being 
Written by Mr. Judy, as one of the titles in the JUDY DOLLAR LIBRARY. 
It is announct for publication in 1924. Orders will be accepted now for 
$1.00 per copy. Send orders to JUDY PUBLISHING COMPANY, 1922 Lake 
Street, Chicago. 















- 


















Watch Your Step 

Ne’er easy lessons chance to skip, 

Else on hard ones you will surely slip. 


C. L. 


CARTOONING 

M ADE EASY 

A COURSE OF INSTRUCTION IN 
THIRTY UP-TO-THE-MINUTE LESSONS 
IN FOUR BOOKS 


BY CHARLES LEDERER 

For twenty years Chief Cartoonist New York World and 
other Metropolitan Dallies (1883- 1903). Founder of the 
Lederer School of Drawing (1904). Author of “The Junior 
Cartoonist,” “Drawing Made Easy,” “Lederer's Progressive 
Drawing Lessons,” “Lederer’s Art Course,” etc., etc. 
(1907 - 1923) 


Copyright, 1923, by 
CHARLES LEDERER 



THIS IS BOOK IV. 
(Lessons 28 to 30) 


ALL ILLUSTRATIONS BY THE AUTHOR 


- 5 — 0 -.- 


JUDY PUBLISHING COMPANY 

Business Managers of 
LEDERER SCHOOL OF ART 
1922 Lake Street 
CHICAGO 























































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DEC 24’23 

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CARTOONING MADE EASY 


99 


LESSON TWENTY - EIGHT 

Draw a chap similar to the one at the top of the following page, on paper 
about 4x5 inches. Fold along dotted lines X to X. Make transfer, then fin¬ 
ish up as the second small illustration. Transfer to cardboard and ink in. 
Note the interesting effectiveness of the two characters, identically alike, 
but treated in contrast. Other illustrations showing examples produced in 
the same manner are found on succeeding pages. 

When it is necessary to transfer a sketch or drawing of any kind from 
one surface to another—for instance, from sketch paper to cardboard, in 
order to make a pen - and - ink drawing—prepare a transfer sheet. This is 
something like the carbon sheet used by stenographers, which would ans¬ 
wer the purpose except for the fact that they are too heavily coated with 
a slightly greasy substance. Therefore use a sheet of thin linen letter 
paper, or tracing paper, and cover its surface evenly with evenly-laid, pencil 
marks, or with pencil dust—scraped from the point of a soft lead pencil. 
Rub the dust into the paper with, a soft rag or the finger tip. Place the 
transfer sheet between the sketch and the surface that is to receive the 
transfer. Pigmented side down, of course. Fasten with thumb tacks. Then 
with a sharp - pointed pencil go over the lines you wish repeated. A rather 
faint offset will be produced, which you may touch up with a pencil or you 
may at once proceed to finish with pen and ink. As a rule the less pencil¬ 
ing the less confusion to the eye when using the pen. Preserve the trans¬ 
fer paper for future use. 

If the sketch is to be reversed it may be transferred without the use of 
the transfer paper by fastening it to a new drawing surface (by means of 
tacks or extended fingers), face down, and briskly rubbing the back of the 
sketch with any hard, smooth object, such as a small paper cutter. The 
handle of a discarded toothbrush is excellent for the purpose. 

Some of the other examples show how to make two halves of a de¬ 
sign in reversed form, but quite or nearly alike, otherwise. The result is 
sometimes rather startling, but usually pleasing in its effect. The explan¬ 
ation may seem a bit complicated but the performance is in reality very 
simple. 

Just to make sure that you will understand, I will repeat the directions. 

(a) - First by making a pencil tracing on transparent paper with a sharp- 
pointed pencil. If the drawing is to be reversed you may transfer by rub¬ 
bing on the back of the tracing paper, thus “offsetting” and reproducing 
the lines onto the new surface. If the original drawing is in soft pencil the 
drawing itself may be rubbed (transferred) to the new surface. If reverse - 
picture is not wanted, redraw on other side of tracing paper and transfer 
by going over with point or rub from other side. 

An ivory or bone paper cutter, the handle of a broken tooth brush, or 
your thumb nail, may be used to do the rubbing. Of course, the transferred 
picture will be faint compared with the original, and must be touched up 
or gone over completely. If pen and ink in used, it is well to erase the 
pencil marks, however faint they appear, after inking. 




100 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 












CARTOONING MADE EASY 


101 


(b) The second process is to take a piece of paper which, has been 
smeared all over with pencil dust. The sheet is to be preserved for further 
use, just as stenographers’ carbon sheets are kept. 

This sheet is placed smeared side down. Over this is placed the tracing 
paper containing the design, and then with the stylus, or hard pencil-point 
go over the lines that are to be reproduceed on the new drawing surface. 
The lines will appear more clear by this than by the first process de¬ 
scribed. Changes can be made as you proceed, if such are desired. Rever¬ 
sal by this plan is optional_ 

(c) Third process is to reverse the tracing and go over each line with 
stylus or hard pencil-point, from the back, thus transferring in reverse onto 
the drawing surface. This method is only adopted when great accuracy is 
desired and a reverse picture is desired. 




102 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 








104 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 







105 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


LESSON TWENTY - NINE 


A FEW words—you have met the “few words” bunk before, 
haven’t you? Well, a few words, about the honest-to - 
goodness comic strip, the kind that may run for years and 
make an everlasting fortune for its originator—for there 
are such prizes in the lottery. Nobody ever knows—es¬ 
pecially the editors. Take Mutt and Jeff. Clare Briggs 
started it—and abandoned it. Bud Fisher, wise beyond 
it out of the junk pile and has made somewhere around a 
million dollars—at least, that. So you see, you never can tell. 

Therefore, in laying out an original strip it is worth while in its first 
conception to spend considerable time in the preliminaries. Don’t start it 
right off the bat. Carefully select your characters. Sketch them out in 
various ways. Their size, features, clothes and styles of presentation must 
be considered. 

Public taste changes. Just at this writing the vogue is home and business 
life, as far as the time and place is concerned. There will to my mind be 
a return to the more adventuresome plots and characters—the hair raising 
stuff—with its villain still pursues’er and slapstick methods of inserting 
the ever necessary comic element. 

With this in mind I am even now preparing a strip which I will try to 
inflict on the long suffering newspaper readng public, if my masters the 
editors and the syndicate fellows will afford me the opportunity. 

Even at the risk of having an idea swiped before springing It, I will take 
you behind the scenes and show you how I go about it. 

Every kid loves a pirate, at least I did when I was one, (a kid, not a 
pirate). How well, I recollect a little chap who camie from a distant town 
near the sea, who we thought said his father was a pirate. How we revered 
that lad—until we discovered that what he said was “pilot” and not 
“pirate.” 

Instantly, with the dullest of thuds, that boy - god fell from his pedestal 
or throne or whatever the elevation consisted of. 

So it occurred to me that perhaps the public was all fed up on domestic 
and domesticated subects as the basis of strip comics, and would entertain 
the entrance of a pirate or two on the comic page. There is no harm—or 
expense to anyone but myself—in trying. So I will tell you in these “few 
words” how I go about it. Perhaps it is not the best way, but it is my way, 
and the only way for me. 

I made a number of sketches of my characters — “subject to change 
without notice.” Then I made a few rather hapdazard sketches of the strips 
and then others more complete in detail. I made changes in the 
matter of costume as well as the faces. If it becomes an attraction it will 
not do to have my characters and general style of handling undergo too 
apparent variation or modification during their public appearance. 

I even sketched incidents which I may weave into material for the strips 



his ears, fished 









106 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 




portraying future or past adventures. A strip of this sort involves the 
possibility of an almost never ending array of adventures; a sort of long 
strung out story of piratical escapades in which the word “finis” has been 
eliminated entirely. 

In making my “plot” I have started somewhere near the middle of my 
story and am going to work both ways. What has happened before the 
shipwreck, where, in my story, the amiable pirate and his canine com¬ 
panion first see daylight, I don’t know myself. Later, I’ll attend to the 
awful past of “Nip and Tuck” (for thus I have at least temporarily, en¬ 
titled the chief characters in my tentative strip). 





CARTOONING MADE EASY 


107 


I am showing you some reproductions of the first sketches that I made 
when the idea of making Nip and Tuck first entered my mind. They 
m<ay not be used at all, but they helped get me into the spirit of the thing, 
so to speak. Then without any idea of consecutiveness, I made sketches 
of possible future scenes and incidents in the career of my two principal 
characters as they occurred to my imagination. They were not entirely 
made at random. I had laid out a skeletonized plot as follows: Tuck the 
pirate separates from his brethren of the skull and crossbones and em¬ 
barks on a tiny piratical craft of his own, accompanied only by his faithful 
pup of unknown pedigree. They encounter a storm. I may have themi en¬ 
counter other enemies before the hurricane comes that wrecks the vessel, 
but anyway they are wrecked and cast ashore on the usuall supposedly 
uninhabited tropical isle. Here Tuck discovers a map locating a possible 
treasure trove and runs up against a bunch of wild animals and wilder 
natives. And after a series of exciting adventures with these I am going 
to rescue them. They must be rescued or the strip and my income will 
also come to an untimely end. 

Once in civilized society our handsome friend Tuck is to develop con¬ 
siderable commercial acumen. In order to secure the treasure, as indicated 
in the map that he found, he must organize a small sea-going expedition 
—and that requires capital. This he seeks by various means, such as not 
forgetting even to inquire at information desks. Various sketches show 
some of the memoranda I have made of these incidents. I have even scrib¬ 
bled some of the chatter to accompany the sections. Tuck finally meets 
Finley Flub, as you will see on other page, whom he interests in his scheme 
to recover the buried loot. They enter into a partnership. Nip contributes 
the bark, Mr. Tuck his map, a vast and varied store of experience and grey 
matter, while Mr. Flubb supplies the supplies, such as cash capital, trans¬ 
portation, including such as seen on page 110, where the trio may enter 
upon the first stage of their adventurous journey to their destination, Mis¬ 
fortune Island. On their way an assortment of strange and gruesome things 
happen to them; being captured by canibals and nearly masticated being 
merely incidental. 

That they finally arrive intact is due only to my necessity for food and 
lodging and rainment. My meal ticket as I intimated before, would be non 
eat. I mean non est if they perished. So they live through it all and (in my 
mind, mindja) finally arrive intact, if weary, at Misfortune Island. 

Here, if my strip has not gone blooey in the interim, for lack of public 
and editorial approval, they meet with disappointment just to swing along 
the strip. For they dig at the spot indicated—or rather Mr. Flubb digs, for 
all manual labor falls to himi and he falls for it—and—well, the long 
sought treasure - chest, the iron-bound treasure - chest contains only a 
celluloid collar, gone seedy, an old telephone directory and a three- 
quarter-used box of shoe polish—only this and nothing more. This seems 
sad but it means that an almost interminable line of further adventures are 
in prospect. If the strip is a success, just! think! It may mean a few—just 



108 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


a few, perhaps—hundred thousand dollars a year. Not so bad, no, not so 
bad. 
















CARTOONING MADE EASY 


109 



Drawing of an intermediate panel for the Nip and Tuck strip. Complete 
except the border lines and a little background. 








110 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 



Our friend Tuck goes to the “In * 
formation Desk” and first asks the 
young lady in charge where he can 
procure a light for his pipe, and 
when he can find a man with a mil¬ 
lion bucks. 

She advises him to tell his troubles 
to a policeman. 

He goes out and — 



—here he is telling them. 
The above are merely mem¬ 
oranda, suggestive of the 
idea to be illustrated more 
carefully later. 



Finally he finds an “angel,” and 
here we have a scrap from a strip 
showing Finley Flub, E. Z., convey¬ 
ing Mr. Tuck to the ship that Mr. 
Flub has chartered. The latter is the 
working partner in the newly organi¬ 
zation firm of treasure seekers. 















CARTOONING MADE EASY 


111 


These four panels are reproductions of the first rough sketches, reduced 
about one-half. For regular strip purposes it would be necessary to trace 
and transfer it to pen paper, or cardboard, and redraw it more carefully. 
This example is only intended to show what a preliminary sketch is like, 
and not as an example to copy. 

For convenience in printing in this work, this and other strips have been 
arranged in groups. Arranged in strip form for a newspaper comic page 
the panels w T ould be made a trifle larger—that is, the reduction would not 
be so great. 




































112 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


LESSON THIRTY 

While making the preliminary sketches I had thought—labor - saving 
thought. It struck me as a sort of diversion, during the run of the series, 
that i might be a good plan, almost a vacation, to run along for a while with 
just my dog Nip and a companion or two, leaving Tuck out of the picture 
for a bit—starring Nip. 

On the next page I changed the plot somewhat, by bringing a 
parrot into the plot. Nip and Verbose, the parrot, might get a 
lot of funny action, it occurred to me, especially if I added an iguana. Did 
you ever see an iguana in its native lair? I did once, in the Bahamas, and 
I can assure the world, without fear of successful contradiction, th,at it is 
the ugliest, most ferocious looking critter on top of this well known old 
world. And at the same time it is not any mleaner dispositioned than a 
hotel clerk, though not so playful. Inadvertently I wrote hotel clerk when I 
meant to have written kitten. Dreadfully careless of me! 

On page 111 is the first fairly finished sketch of the series that I drew— 
just to get the thing swinging. It is too carelessly drawn, and too crowded. 
The chatter decidedly needs revision, being inconsequential in its char¬ 
acter. But is wasn’t intended as anything except experimental. 

The one on page 114 is drawn with more care, though too sketchy in 
spots, and the lettering wouldn’t do a - tall. Otherwise, by transferring it 
to fresh cardboard and drawing it with more care it will do. 

Page 115 portrays where a large, capable - appearing, and certainly capa¬ 
cious monarch; of the forest (not the lone palm tree which does duty as a 
forest) meets with Nip and Tuck and comes out third best. A little more 
pains in executing this would have made it more applicable for reproduct¬ 
ion. Being experimental I hadn’t the patience to give the strip the finish, 
that it required. 

Very rough and decidedly sketchy in character, are the pictorial notes on 
page 116, while on the succeeding page is depicted the same incident in 
more precise and finished lines. And yet in the first, rough drafts, crude 
though they be, there is a certain amount of action that is wanting in the 
more finished drawings. It is often thus: 

On page 118 Tuck finds the map and has an audience with the 
chummy sort of native. In this set of panels I didn’t get as far as the 
chatter. 

A rough sketch will have some indefinite element that is so fleeting that 
it cannot perhaps be duplicated. To me there is something ever so much 
more comic in the lion’s expression in the first incomplete sketch, some¬ 
thing that has flattened out in the more elaborate counterpart. I do not try 
to account for it. But it is a frequent occurrence. 




CARTOONING MADE EASY 


113 


























114 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


This drawing was only partly completed when it was determined to make 
changes which would necessitate redrawing it. However, it was hastily 
completed for memorandum purposes and no particular pains taken with 
the details—especially the lettering. 



TaLA 5. Pooa- r 



















































CARTOONING MADE EASY 


115 


This is another partly finished drawing in which changes in detail were 
intended to be made, thus entailing an entire new drawing. Therefore, the 
“chatter” and border lines were hastily sketched in and the drawing “filed 
away” for future reference. 






































116 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 



SKETCH FOR PANEL NIP AND TUCK STRIP 



ANOTHER SKETCH FOR THE SAME STRIP 
















































CARTOONING MADE EASY 


117 


The examples below and on page 119, show the style of drawing that is 
required when the series is extended for a colored supplement. The panels 
are about half the size required for color work, but they show the simple 
clean outlines, and solid black effects, that are necessary for color print¬ 
ing. And they are all right, too, when printed in just black and white. 












































118 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


Here are three scenes from a Nip and Tuck strip. The strip itself 
contains five panels and in order to gain space so as not to make them all 

too narrow—panel 3 was overlapped on panel 2. 

The chatter hasn’t been 
put in .on these drawings. 
Had it been it would refer 
to Tuck unsuspiciously ex¬ 
amining the map, while the 
cannibal chief swoops down 
on him], and then Nip’s pres¬ 
ence of mind in biting a 
hunk out of the calf of the 
chief’s leg saves' the situat - 
ion, Tuck’s life and the fu - 
ture of the strip 






























CARTOONING MADE EASY 


119 



The cut above shows the draw¬ 
ing of one of the panels. It is re¬ 
produced full - size. The cut at the 
right shows the same drawing re¬ 
duced one half. 

The Figure 4 in the upper cut is 
a guide number for the reader. 
Such numbers are sometimes 
deemed necessary when several 
panels are arranged in grouped 
form, and there is possibility of 
confusion as to sequence. 











120 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


(Full size of original drawing) 



The chatter with this panel would he something like this: (from Tuck), 
“I wonder if this is a map of a treasure trove or a page out of a China - 
man’s ledger?” 

(From Nip), “That black faced comedian’s expression bodes ill—I’ll keep 
a wary eye on himi” 













CARTOONING MADE EASY 


121 


THIS IS CONFIDENTIAL 

HE BUDDING strip - cartoonist must forget the highbrow 
stuff if he means to become successful in this particular 
line of newspaped work. 

Highbrow stuff and editorial approval don't mix at all. 
The more raw the humor the better it seems to be di¬ 
gested by Br’er Public, I — well — I regret to say. I don't 
say I approve of this, perhaps, unsavory condition, of the 
but fact it is—and who cares for an individual opinion, any 

Thus, if the lines of chatter under a panel were to read—“I feel that 1 
am all run down,” and the response was, ‘“You will wind up at the under¬ 
taker’s, if you do not watch out,” the editor would very likely want to 
change it to, “I feel that I’m all run down,” and “you’ll wind up at the un- 
dertaker’a if you doan wachyerstep,” besides possibly underscoring “run 
down” and “wind up.” 

The editor thinks—rightly, maybe, that the dear public wants every 
thing hot, right off the griddle, and that the cartoonist’s new vocabulary 
is something inspired. 

Thus, in the cartoonist’s vocabulary, 

“Got to,” becomes Gotta,” 

“Going to” — “Gonna,” 

“What have you?”—“Whatcha?” 

“Want to” —“Wanna,” 

“What are you?”—“Whatchja?” 

“Bet you” — “Betcha,” 

“Got you” — “Gotcha,” 

“Man” — “Guy,” 

“Boy or girl” — “Kid,” 
and so on ad infinitum. 

Anyhow you will be forgiven for being slangy (in your cartoon chatter), 
whereas if you are inclined toward being pedantic, or try to be a purist in 
your “balloon” English, you will be apt to get a “declined with thanks” 
slip more often than not. 

And so this is a good place for me not to apologize for using “can’t” 
for “cannot,” “don’t” for “do not,” “em” for “them,” and so on. For if I 
were standing near your shoulder, trying to teach you in person, that s the 
way I’d talk to you. Can’t help it. I wasn’t brung up right. 



public appetite, 
way? 







122 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 


JUST MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION 

“Strips” cartoons usually run from 2 % to 3 inches high, and from 12 to 
14 inches in length, divided into from four to six panels or divisions. 

The drawing on such strips requires drawing paper or cardboard about 
eight by twenty - eight inches. In order to avoid the use of such large sur¬ 
faces, drawings of two or more panels may be made (to match the others 
required) and spliced or jointed by gumming the edges at the back, by 
means of gummed paper. The gummed paper is preferable to paste or 
similar substances, as the former does not wrinkle or warp the cardboard. 

Pack sufficient cardboard with your drawings when sending them by 
mail, to prevent them being easily bent. Any old paper box cover, 
or pieces of corrugated paper will do. 

This method is advisable especially if the drawings are to be mailed, for 
then they can be packed in folded form. 

See next page for instructions for folding cardboard. 


Avoid shading too much. The nearer the drawing approaches plain lines 
and solid back effects the better it is adopted for reproductions in news¬ 
papers or other publications where rapid press work is necessary. Never- 
effect is required. Such shading is also applicable to political and local 
theless, I advise frequent practice in shade - lines, for such exercise adapts 
one for other lines than newspaper cartooning, where greater variety or 
effect is required, and such shading is also applicable to political and local 
interest cartoons, and those based on the current news of the day. 







CARTOONING MADE EASY 


123 


PROPER WAY TO FOLD CARDBOARD 

Whenever it becomes necessary to fold a sheet or part of a sheet of 
cardboard for mailing or other reasons, don’t fold it as you would a piece 
of paper. Instead, cut a straight line with a knife at the exact point where 
the fold is to be. Cut very slightly—just enough to open the top layer of 
the sheets of paper of which the cardboard is composed. 

Cardboard suitable for pen drawing, by the way, is composed of several 
sheets of paper pasted together. 

If the cardboard contains a drawing, make the cut on the reverse side, 
that is, back of the drawing. Then fold away from the cut. By thus doing, 
the front surface of cardboarl will remain intact, and the drawing can be 
straightened out and reproduced. 

The two little illustrations show a magnified view of a bit of 3 - ply card¬ 
board cut and then folded. 

The drawing is supposed to be out of sight—underneath. 




When mailing drawings under, say, twenty inches square, place them flat 
between heavy cardboard. The usual comic strip drawing does not exceed 
eight or nine inches in height, with a length, if they are drawn on one 
sheet of paper or cardboard, never exceeding twenty-eight inches for all 
the panels. Naturally this would make too long a package to wrap easily 
in a flat manner. They may be cut at the intersection of the panels and 
then joined again at the back by narrow strips of gummed paper and then 
folded, wrapped and mailed. 










124 


CARTOONING MADE EASY 



let me say once more that the mere pos¬ 
session of this book does not entitle the 
holder to the LEDERER SCHOOL OF 
ART drawing material outfit, or any 
criticism of your drawings, advice, fur¬ 
ther instruction, etc. And - 


ROTTEN STUFF 

O, by the way, 

I failed to say, 

‘Way back in lesson number one, 

THAT SMOOTH PAPER OR GLAZED IS 
ROTTEN STUFF FOR PENCIL LINES; 

And above all things do NOT 
Use any paper that’ll BLOT 
When INK you use. 

So PLEASE excuse — 

THE POOR BLANK AUTHOR. 

Publisher’s note — “Rotten” applies to both the poetry (??!!), 
and the glazed paper. 

I could “cut” this out, but I won’t. 


C. L. 












THE JUDY PUBLISHING COMPANY, 1922 Lake Street, 
Chicago, acts as the business manager of the Lederer School 
of Art. It also carries on a general business in Printing, pub¬ 
lishing and bookselling. Good craftsmanship at reasonable 
prices is its policy and “Printing is a Noble Art,” its motto. 

It invites correspondence concerning all printing matters — 
stationery, booklets, circulars, color - work, motto cards, books, 
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electrotypes and Ben Days. Sketches and illustrations can be 
furnisht by its art staff. 

Thru its associated company, the Judy Book Stores, it can 
furnish any book publisht, at the regular publisher’s price. It 
also buys and sells used and rare books. Inquiries regarding 
book matters are invited. Clubs and the like desiring to estab¬ 
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Subscriptions to all publications are received also. 

It publishes a monthly magazine Dog World, the leading dog 
journal of America, which covers all breeds. The subscription 
rate is $2.00 the year; sample copy will be sent free on request. 
Any book on dogs can be furnished by it. 

Authors desiring to publish their own works are invited to 
submit manuscripts for examination; the firm makes a special¬ 
ty of book work. 

“PRINTING IS A NOBLE ART” 















f 5g — 



THE JUDY PUBLISHING COMPANY, 

1922 Lake Street, Chicago, has adopted 
a most attractive policy in its ..Judy's 
Dollar Library. The books are uniform 
in binding, workmanship and appearance, 
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craft. They sell at $1 the copy de¬ 
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indicate the nature and variety of the 
series: 


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Wooing, Mountains, Prestige, 
and Solitude. They are thot- 
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Concerning the Printer 

By William Lewis Judy 

A most practical and help- 
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is crammed with useful in - 


formation, suggestions and 
facts. The best book of its 
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The Complete Letter Writer 

By Alexander J. Locke 

Written by an authority. 
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are unexcelled. Sets forth 
forms for all uses—social, 
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the thing for the desk or for 
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The following books, being titles in Judy's Dog World Li - 
brary are standard books, written by authorities, and are also 
sold at $1.00 each. 


Kennel Building 

By Cleve M. Bardine 

Principles of Breeding 

By Edwin L. Pickhardt 


The Collie 

By Edwin L. Pickhardt 
The Great Dane 

By S. Chichester Lloyd 


Any or all of the foregoing may be 
or from the publisher. 


purcliast at any book store 


H9HP 

























“I Hear You Calling Me” 

Many a lazy “Genius” by the wayside falls; 
While Success to Industry so gaily calls. 


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